• Earlier tech crackdowns set the stage
• June 2026: AI restrictions announced
• Age‑based approach and future preparation
• Part of a broader tech‑risk agenda

Norway to Restrict AI Use in Schools Norway is tightening controls on classroom technology again, this time targeting artificial intelligence, as it seeks to balance digital innovation with concerns over how children learn.

§Earlier tech crackdowns set the stage

Norway has already taken a hard line on digital distractions in schools. In 2024, the government banned smartphones from classrooms, a move that was later linked to reduced bullying, better grades, and a roughly 60 percent drop in visits to psychology specialists, especially among girls.

This experience has shaped the government’s belief that limiting certain technologies can improve both academic and mental health outcomes.

§June 2026: AI restrictions announced

On June 19, 2026, officials confirmed that “Norway is putting restrictions on AI use in school,” with new rules to take effect from the start of the school year in late August. The core measure is a near‑ban on generative AI for younger pupils: “Norway is banning generative AI in elementary schools starting this autumn,” targeting children aged six to 13 in first through seventh grade.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said AI raises the risk that children will skip key steps in learning, stressing that “the most important thing in school is that our children learn to read, write and do mathematics.”

§Age‑based approach and future preparation

The policy differentiates sharply by age. According to government guidance, “pupils from first through seventh grade, aged 6 to 13, should as a general rule not be using AI,” while lower‑secondary students aged 14 to 16 “can cautiously adopt tools under teachers’ supervision.” For upper‑secondary students aged 17 to 19, the state’s position flips: they “should learn to use AI appropriately so that they are prepared for further education and work.”

Officials argue this mirrors the logic of the smartphone ban: protect younger children’s foundational learning while equipping older teens for an AI‑driven labor market.

§Part of a broader tech‑risk agenda

Norway’s AI move fits into a wider effort to curb perceived digital harms. The government is also preparing legislation to ban social media for under‑16s by the end of 2026, aligning with similar steps in Australia, the UK, and other European states.

While early evidence from the smartphone ban is positive, officials acknowledge it remains unclear whether AI use in Norwegian schools has yet reached levels that cause measurable harm, leaving open debate over how strict such controls should be.

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