Artificial intelligence: University of Chicago Law School to ban phones, laptops in classroom for 1st

CHICAGO (WLS) -- University of Chicago Law School announced it will ban phones and laptops in the classroom for first-year students in its new AI strategy.

The school made the announcement Thursday as part of a broader plan to respond to the rise of artificial intelligence, beginning in the upcoming fall semester.

"We will be piloting a coordinated approach to classroom and examination policies for the core 1L curriculum during the 2026-2027 academic year. Across all 1L sections, we will prohibit the use of electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and phones in the classroom," a segment of the new plan reads in part. "There will be some limited exceptions to this policy."

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"The Law School prides itself on being uniquely focused on producing graduates who are prepared to be excellent lawyers," University of Chicago Law School Dean Adam Chilton said in a statement. "We have always been willing to innovate with our curriculum to ensure that that's always true. This moment is no different."