New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed on 2026-04-12 that the use of artificial intelligence by students in public schools will be prohibited through eighth grade. ^[1] New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the Racial Equity Plan (REP) on a Tuesday, establishing the city's first comprehensive strategy to address racial disparities. ^[2] The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) published a report on August 31, 2024, documenting a digital communication ecosystem created by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration. ^[3] Teachers and parents have expressed opposition to AI use in schools due to fears that it could harm children's mental health, cognitive development, and the environment. ^[4] The ban on student AI use will last for one year and impacts nearly 600,000 students in New York City public schools. ^[5] Mayor Mamdani stated that the plan aims to achieve a 'drastic' increase in affordable housing by 2034. ^[6] The plan includes measures to improve maternal health for Black women, specifically targeting the reduction of maternal mortality rates. ^[7] The Racial Equity Plan consists of over 400 pages, containing more than 200 objectives and over 600 indicators to track progress. ^[8] The use of AI will be permitted only in high school, which begins in 9th grade in the US school system, according to the source. ^[9] Some creators do receive payments from municipal agencies for participating in specific public communication campaigns related to services like health, housing, and tenant rights. ^[10] The network originated as 'Creators4Zohran', a group that supported Mamdani's electoral campaign, and was later reorganized to maintain communication with the New York City government. ^[11] The use of the encrypted messaging app Signal for official communications raises concerns about the preservation of government records required by New York law. ^[12]