The Florida Department of Education is pushing forward with a proposed rule that would require every public college in the state to take artificial intelligence seriously before it further disrupts classrooms.

Under the proposal, all 28 institutions in the Florida College System would be required to adopt clear policies governing how students, staff, and campus guests use AI tools. The rule targets some of the areas where AI has already caused the most disruption in higher education: academic integrity, coursework, and grading standards that have come under strain as students increasingly turn to chatbots to do their thinking for them.

The rule’s stated purpose is to ensure quality education, efficient operations, and a safe learning environment for the whole college community — a recognition that unregulated AI use on campus carries real costs, not just convenience.

Education Commissioner Henry Mack approved the rule Monday. The State Board of Education is set to take up the issue at its Sept. 16 meeting at Polk State College in Winter Haven.

The rule would apply to AI and AI instructional tools, defined as software applications or services built on artificial intelligence. Notably, it draws a firm line around AI designed to substitute for human relationships — tools that simulate friendship or emotional bonds, or that use “anthropomorphic design features” to keep students hooked, are excluded from what counts as a legitimate instructional tool. That distinction matters: state regulators appear intent on keeping AI in its proper lane as an academic tool rather than allowing it to masquerade as a companion.

The college-level push follows action already underway in K-12. DOE is directing school districts statewide to fold AI rules into their internet safety guidelines, including a requirement that parents be notified — and given the right to opt their child out — whenever a district approves an AI tool for classroom use. Any AI tool proposed for use in PreK-5 classrooms would face additional scrutiny before approval, and the same restriction on emotionally manipulative AI applies to younger students as well.

The regulatory push at the agency level contrasts with what happened in the Legislature this year. The state Senate attempted to pass an AI Bill of Rights that would have restricted tech companies and how minors interact with them, including parental controls over children’s interactions with AI chatbots and a ban on state agencies contracting with AI firms tied to a “foreign country of concern.” The bill also would have addressed unauthorized use of people’s names, images and likenesses.

That measure never reached Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk despite being one of his top priorities. When it stalled during the regular session, DeSantis called a special session specifically to revive it. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, blocked the bill anyway, arguing the issue should be left to the federal government—a stance that left Florida families without the statutory protections DeSantis sought, even as executive agencies now move to fill part of the gap through rulemaking.

The state’s broader concerns about AI’s real-world harms are also playing out in court. Florida is pursuing a civil lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging the company’s ChatGPT product contributed to acts of violence. Attorney General James Uthmeier, announcing the suit, pointed to incidents nationwide in which the chatbot allegedly assisted users in committing murders, mass shootings and suicides. The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of negligence, unfair trade practices, and violations of public nuisance and product liability law.

Among the cases cited is the April 17, 2025 shooting at Florida State University, which left two dead and five wounded. Law enforcement has said the alleged shooter consulted ChatGPT about weapons, ammunition, and how to select a campus setting that would maximize casualties.

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