Facing a broad decline in education test scores, the government in 2024 banned smartphones from schools and gave teachers back more powers to enforce discipline in the ​classroom.

Using AI increases the risk that young children skip important ⁠steps in their education, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a press ​conference on Friday.

“The most important thing in school is that our children ​learn to read, write and do mathematics,” Stoere said, adding that the new standards will be imposed from the new school year beginning in late August.

Pupils from first ​through seventh grade, aged 6 to 13, should, as a general ​rule, not be using AI, while those in lower secondary school, aged 14 to ‌16, can ⁠cautiously adopt tools under teachers’ supervision, the government said.

In upper secondary education, from ages 17 to 19, students should learn to use AI appropriately so that they are prepared for further education and work, it added.

Norway ​began adopting computers ​in classrooms in ⁠the 1990s and tablets after the introduction of the iPad from 2010 onwards, reducing the reliance on books ​and handwriting.

But in a related statement on Friday, the ​government also ⁠said it will propose legislation to fund the use of more books in classrooms, reversing the trend towards computer tablets.

The Norwegian government in April also ⁠announced ​plans to ban children from using social media ​until they turn 16, following a trend pioneered by Australia and some other nations to reduce young ​people’s use of electronic devices.