AI backlash reaches major university with bold ban on laptops and phones for law students

A major university is taking aim at tech in a sweeping ban against electronic devices in an effort to "ensure students actually learn to think critically, strategically and independently without relying on AI," according to administrators.

The University of Chicago has issued a ban on first-year law students using phones, tablets and laptops in class, a statement released by school administrators said Thursday.

The ban is set to take effect this fall, with university officials saying the rule will combat the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.

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"With AI disrupting higher education, our commitment to rigorous legal education also must mean openness to even rapid adaptation," the statement said. "A willingness to rethink our practices is consistent with our law school’s long history of innovation."

According to the statement, administrators have worked throughout the past year to determine the best way to adopt AI within their curriculum and campus policies, and have sought feedback from the community, students, faculty, law firm leaders and legal technology executives.

"The feedback we have received throughout this process has been consistent," they added. "We need to ensure that our students actually learn to think critically, strategically, and independently without relying on AI; but we also must face the reality that AI tools are already widely available to our students, and our graduates will be expected to be prepared to use them in legal practice."

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The school has opted to launch a "strategic vision" that encompasses three themes, in which students and faculty will "develop AI-resilient pedagogy and assessment," promote "essential human" skills that distinguish excellent lawyers" and teach "responsible, effective, and ethical use of AI."

Under the newly announced strategy, first-year law students will be barred from utilizing electronic devices in the classroom, and professors instead will designate "classroom scribes" to take notes for the group.

Professors are also granted authority to determine when electronic devices can be used "for specific tech-enabled activities," such as "in-class polling."

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School administrators have also determined that students will be required to conduct legal research and writing assignments while using AI as a tool – but cannot use the technology to write the materials for them.

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Any use of AI to complete assignments will be reviewed by faculty, with the school also offering upper-level elective courses specializing in the adoption of AI in the legal field and the adaptation of AI tools for work in the legal field.

"It is simply unrealistic to think that students and lawyers will not use AI," the statement said. "But legal technology is changing rapidly, and there is no guarantee that the specific AI tools or techniques that are ascendant today will be useful when current students enter practice. Thus, AI skills training requires more than producing students who can use the tools that are currently part of legal practice."

Fox News Digital reached out to the University of Chicago for comment.