Nearly 500 Artists Urge NYC Mayor to Impose Two-Year AI Moratorium in Schools

Nearly 500 artists, writers, and actors have signed a letter organized by the AI Moratorium Coalition (AIM) calling on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to ban artificial intelligence in public schools for two years. Notable signatories include photographer Nan Goldin, illustrator Molly Crabapple, and filmmaker Laurie Simmons. The letter argues that AI stifles creativity, raises privacy and equity concerns, and is trained on stolen work. It comes ahead of a City Council oversight hearing on AI and data privacy in schools. The majority of City Council previously urged Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels to halt the expansion of AI tools, noting that the NYC Department of Education added dozens of new AI products to its learning portal. Kelly Clancy, founder of Parents for AI Caution in Educational Spaces (PACES) and AIM member, said the letter was timed to the last week of school. Artist Sylvain Souklaye, whose daughter starts preschool in Brooklyn, signed citing moral corruption in schools. The letter also cites reports of racial bias in educational AI tools.