Norway to Ban Generative AI in Elementary Schools to Protect Basic Learning

Norway will ban generative AI tools in elementary schools starting in late August, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere announced on Friday. Students in grades 1 through 7, ages 6 to 13, will not be allowed to use AI. In lower secondary school, ages 14 to 16, supervised use will be permitted.

Stoere said at a press conference that the most important thing is for children to learn to read, write, and do math. He pointed to a decline in learning outcomes since around 2015 and attributed the trend partly to smartphones, screens, and algorithms.

New rules take effect this school year

The government will also introduce legislation requiring municipalities to provide physical teaching materials, meaning more paper books in classrooms. Norway has already banned smartphones in schools, given teachers more authority in the classroom, and is planning a social media ban for children under 16.

• Generative AI prohibition applies to grades 1 through 7 (ages 6 to 13)
• Use in lower secondary school (ages 14 to 16) requires teacher supervision
• Older students will learn how to use AI correctly under guidance
• Ban follows Norway's existing smartphone ban and planned social media age restriction
• Government will mandate physical teaching materials, reversing a digital-heavy approach

Global divergence on AI in education

Norway is not alone in tightening rules. Japan issued guidelines in 2023 calling for special caution with children under 13. A U.S. court ruled in 2024 that schools can penalize unauthorized AI use. UC Berkeley Law School will ban AI for nearly all graded assignments starting in summer 2026.

Other nations are moving in the opposite direction. The United Arab Emirates will make AI a required subject from kindergarten through 12th grade starting in the 2025-2026 school year. Germany's Conference of Ministers of Education has called for integrating AI into the classroom, describing a ban as unrealistic and untenable.

Norway's approach reflects mounting concerns about AI's impact on foundational learning. The ban takes effect at the start of the school year in late August, and the government plans to push ahead with legislation to reduce screen time and increase use of physical books in schools.