Norway is moving to sharply limit artificial intelligence in its schools, introducing one of the strictest education policies yet for younger students. Beginning in late August, children ages 6 to 13 will not be allowed to use AI in Norwegian elementary schools. Students ages 14 to 16 will still be permitted to use the technology, but only under direct supervision from teachers.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the policy is intended to protect the basics of early education. At a press conference reported by Reuters, he argued that younger children risk skipping important learning steps if they rely on AI too early. He said the most important school priorities remain reading, writing and mathematics.

The decision places Norway among a growing number of places reconsidering how much AI should be allowed in classrooms. The debate has intensified globally as educators, researchers and parents weigh the benefits of new tools against concerns that students may lose opportunities to build core cognitive and social skills. Some recent research in the United States has raised questions about whether generative AI can weaken the development of those skills in children.

Norway has already taken a cautious approach to technology in schools. It was one of the first countries to ban smartphones in classrooms, and some studies have linked that move to improved academic performance and fewer visits to mental health professionals, particularly among female students. That experience appears to have influenced the government’s latest position on AI.

The new policy does not amount to a total rejection of artificial intelligence in education. Older students, ages 17 to 19, will be taught how to use AI appropriately as they prepare for higher education and work. That suggests Norwegian officials see value in AI literacy, but want to delay exposure until students are more advanced.

The government is also preparing additional steps that would encourage the use of books in classrooms. The move fits with a broader concern that screens and automated tools may be crowding out traditional forms of learning, especially in the earliest grades.

Norway’s decision comes as school systems in other countries continue to grapple with the rapid spread of AI tools. In the United States, teachers and parents have increasingly pushed back against classroom use of generative AI. Some schools have returned to pen-and-paper blue books for exams in an effort to curb cheating, while others have hidden prompts in assignments to detect whether students are relying on AI to complete work.

At the same time, major technology companies are investing in teacher training and classroom adoption. Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic have backed a National Academy for AI Instruction that offers courses for educators on how to use these tools. Supporters argue that AI will be part of students’ futures and should be introduced carefully rather than ignored.

Norway’s latest policy takes the opposite tack for younger children. By drawing a hard line in elementary school and limiting use in lower secondary school, the government is signaling that the early years of education should remain focused on foundational skills before students begin working with AI in earnest.