CHICAGO, United States: The UChicago Law device ban will largely prohibit laptops, phones and other electronic devices in required first-year doctrinal classes from Autumn Quarter 2026.
The University of Chicago Law School announced the pilot on July 9 as part of its strategy, “Rethinking Legal Education in the AI Era.” Limited exceptions will remain available.
The rule does not cover every Law School class and does not impose a complete ban on artificial intelligence. Upper-level and elective courses may set their own AI policies, which instructors must state in their syllabi.
Required first-year examinations will also take place in class without internet or application access. In a major research paper, students must discuss their work orally with professors to demonstrate independent understanding.
University of Chicago is attempting to stop students from relying on artificial intelligence
“As part of a broader strategy to curb AI usage, the University of Chicago Law School is banning first-year students from using phones and laptops in the classroom. The school says it's… pic.twitter.com/Qg4oyW8WTr
— John f Kennedy Jr (@Real_Jfkennedjr) July 13, 2026Professor William H.J. Hubbard, chair of the Law School’s AI Committee, said removing AI from key stages of learning would help students master foundational concepts without using technological shortcuts.
The strategy centres on three areas: AI-resilient teaching and assessment, essential human legal skills, and responsible, effective and ethical AI use.
The Law School said it would continue teaching students how to use AI through upper-level courses, clinics and its AI Lab. The policy aims to teach students to work “with, without, and about AI,” rather than prohibit the technology entirely.
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The supplied report described the measure as a wider classroom-device ban, but the official policy limits the pilot to core first-year courses.
