[Anchor]

Measures are becoming more concrete to protect children, who are the most vulnerable and likely to be heavily impacted by AI. Following its ban on AI tools like ChatGPT in schools, New York City is now pushing to block YouTube as well. Parents supporting this move gathered for a rally.

New York correspondent Kim Hyunwoo reports from the scene.

[Reporter]

City council members and parents gathered in front of New York City Hall.

They held up signs opposing the use of AI and YouTube in schools.

[Phil Wong / New York City Council Member : In reality, we need to read printed materials and interact with people. Our children haven't been learning those things, and they don't even know how to write.]

[Carmen Dellarosa / Parent of a 12-year-old daughter : I asked my daughter to put water in the refrigerator, and she was doing it while holding her smartphone in her hand. So I told her that using both hands would be twice as fast.]

We looked through a digital learning device distributed by a New York elementary school alongside a parent.

There are no restrictions whatsoever on accessing games or searching YouTube.

[Parent : Let's search for guns. You can learn about rifles and even find instructions on how to shoot a handgun.]

Pointing out that children's concentration and academic performance have declined since digital devices were widely introduced due to remote learning during the pandemic, New York City is pushing to ban watching YouTube in schools.

The proposal also includes a requirement that teachers must first prove the necessity of using YouTube videos in class.

The rally, held to coincide with a hearing on the bill, drew a large crowd of reporters, reflecting high public interest.

[Katherine Mulvany / Parent of a 7-year-old son : I was too complacent and should have checked sooner. Now, all of us need to pay closer attention. There is a clear reason why children's academic abilities are declining.]

Two weeks ago, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani banned the use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini in elementary and middle school classrooms starting with the new school year in September.

[Zohran Mamdani / New York Mayor (September 2) : Under no circumstances will AI ever replace the relationship between teachers and students.]

New York City is the largest school district in the United States, with approximately 1 million students.

As a result, the outcome of this discussion is expected to influence educational policies in other regions as well.

(Video by Lee Hee-hoon | Video Editing by Chae Cheol-ho)