5 Prohibited Uses of Generative AI in Schools

The Ministry of Education revealed the prohibited uses of generative artificial intelligence in schools, such as the “GBT Chat” application, as part of a set of tight controls that regulate the use of these tools within classrooms, stressing that any use outside the approved frameworks is a practice that requires accountability in accordance with the applicable regulations, to establish academic integrity, protect students, and ensure a safe and disciplined educational environment.

In detail, the Ministry confirmed – through the Guide to the Safe and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Classrooms 2026, the details of which were reviewed by Emirates Today – that the use of generative artificial intelligence tools is prohibited for students under the age of 13 or those enrolled in grades lower than the seventh, in compliance with the approved age controls, and in order to protect early age groups from any inappropriate educational or behavioral effects.

The Ministry stressed the prevention of any practices that violate the principle of originality in learning, most notably presenting assignments, projects or reports completed by artificial intelligence as personal works without explicit disclosure or prior approval from the teacher.

It also prohibited the use of these tools during official tests and assessments, or copying and rephrasing their outputs without showing real personal understanding, in addition to prohibiting total reliance on them in completing educational tasks, or using them for academic cheating or circumventing assessment requirements.

She stressed that the use of generative artificial intelligence tools is not permitted in any educational environment that lacks direct human supervision or clear guidance from the teacher. Students and teachers alike are prohibited from relying on automatically generated content without verifying its accuracy and suitability to the approved educational curricula and objectives, in a way that guarantees the quality and safety of educational outcomes.

The Ministry warned against producing or circulating any inappropriate content using artificial intelligence, stressing that this includes anything that conflicts with the religious, national, or cultural values ​​of the state, or includes inappropriate materials, scenes of violence, psychologically shocking content, hate speech and discrimination, or misleading information and rumors that harm the educational process.

The ban extends to any content that encourages illegal or immoral behavior, including cyberbullying or self-harm, as well as content produced without a clear educational purpose or without prior educational supervision.

It stressed the prohibition of entering or uploading any personal data related to students, teachers, or parents to artificial intelligence tools, including names, photos, audio or video clips, and identity and communication data.

It stressed the prohibition of circulating protected works without the permission of their owners, creating fake content using deepfake or impersonation techniques, collecting sensitive information about others and publishing it, accessing confidential school materials, or recording and transcribing classroom interactions without the explicit consent of all parties concerned.

It stressed the complete prohibition of the use of any generative artificial intelligence tools that are not officially approved in classrooms, including accessing platforms that are not included in the approved lists, circumventing schools’ technical systems such as firewalls or using virtual private networks (VPN), or creating student accounts on unauthorized external services, especially those that require entering personal data.

She stressed that adherence to these controls represents an essential foundation for ensuring the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence in education, in a way that enhances the quality of learning, preserves the rights of students, and keeps pace with the state’s trends towards innovation within a clear ethical and educational framework.

The Ministry explained that employing these technologies must remain a supportive tool for the educational process, not a substitute for the human role of the teacher nor the authentic cognitive effort of the student, stressing that adherence to these controls comes in line with the cultural values ​​of the United Arab Emirates, the legislation regulating education, and the approved student conduct regulations.

Educational expert Amna Al-Mazmi stated that the controls set by the Ministry represent a pivotal step to ensure the integration of artificial intelligence into the school environment in a responsible and safe manner, explaining that technology, no matter how advanced it is, must remain a supportive tool that enhances understanding and thinking, not a substitute for the role of the teacher or the student’s self-effort.

She pointed out that the absence of supervision and clear reference may turn these tools from an educational opportunity into an entry point for practices that weaken academic authenticity and open the door to cheating and the loss of research and analysis skills.

She continued that the strictness regarding privacy and intellectual property reflects an early awareness of the extent of the risks associated with the circulation of data, pointing out that protecting students’ identity and digital safety must advance the speed of adopting technical solutions.

She explained that the success of the experiment is not measured by the amount of use of artificial intelligence, but rather by its ability to raise the quality of learning, enhance values, and build a student capable of independent and responsible thinking.

She explained that the application of these controls is directly reflected in the performance of students, teachers, and school staff, as it helps enhance the focus on actual learning and students’ self-effort, and consolidates the values ​​of authenticity and academic integrity.

She emphasized that the controls contribute to raising the quality of educational outcomes, reducing errors and inappropriate practices, and facilitating the safe management of digital classes, which enhances parents’ confidence in the school environment and ensures a balance between technological innovation and real educational needs.

In turn, artificial intelligence expert, Dr. Muhammad Abdel-Zaher, stated that the regulatory frameworks established by the ministry reflect a deep understanding of the nature of these technologies and their limits, explaining that generative artificial intelligence systems, despite their high ability to produce content, are still vulnerable to errors and biases, and cannot be treated as a final source of knowledge.

He said that the presence of clear rules for use within schools protects students from falling into excessive dependence, and ensures that the educational process remains based on critical thinking and skill-building, not on the rapid consumption of ready-made answers.

He added that the emphasis on human supervision, verification of accuracy, and commitment to privacy is in line with global best practices in artificial intelligence governance, pointing out that educational institutions that succeed in integrating technology are those that balance innovation and discipline, and deal with artificial intelligence as a supportive partner, not a substitute for humans.

He added that these controls provide a clear framework for teachers to use artificial intelligence as a supportive tool, while maintaining their educational responsibility in directing students and supervising classroom activities.

---

Prohibitions

• Any practices that violate the principle of authenticity in learning, most notably submitting assignments, projects, or reports completed by artificial intelligence. Using tools during official tests and evaluations, or copying and rephrasing their outputs without showing real personal understanding. Using technology in any educational environment that lacks direct human supervision or clear guidance from the teacher. Relying on automatically generated content without verifying its accuracy and suitability to the curriculum. Producing or circulating any inappropriate content using artificial intelligence within the school campus.