Overview
- The government announced on Friday, June 19 that the rules will take effect at the start of the 2026–27 school year in late August and that students aged 6–13 should generally be barred from using generative AI at school, ages 14–16 may use it only under teacher supervision, and ages 17–19 will be taught responsible use.
- Officials, including Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, framed the policy as a response to slipping test scores and warned that uncritical AI use could let children skip important learning steps in reading, writing and mathematics.
- The package also includes plans to boost funding for physical books and to restore stronger teacher authority over classroom technology as part of a wider move away from heavy digital reliance.
- Analysts say the limits will reshape the market for AI‑driven EdTech in Norway, may influence regulatory debates elsewhere in Europe, and could widen inequality if wealthier families find ways to bypass school controls.
- The policy builds on decades of classroom digitization—computers from the 1990s and tablets in the 2010s—and follows a 2024 smartphone ban and recent proposals to restrict under‑16s’ social media access, underscoring Norway’s broader rethink of tech in education.