Polk State College

The Florida Department of Education is proposing a rule that would require all 28 institutions in the Florida College System to adopt formal policies on artificial intelligence use. The policies would address academic integrity, course assignments, grading, and AI use by students, staff and campus guests. Education Commissioner Henry Mack approved the proposal, which the State Board of Education will consider at its September 16 meeting at Polk State College.

The rule defines AI instructional tools broadly but excludes AI designed to meet students' social or emotional needs, such as simulated relationships or anthropomorphic chatbots. It follows similar DOE efforts directing K-12 districts to set AI safeguards, including parental notification and opt-out rights, plus extra review for tools used in PreK-5. The move comes after state lawmakers failed to pass a broader AI Bill of Rights this year amid a standoff between DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez. Florida is separately suing OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT contributed to violent incidents, including the 2025 Florida State University shooting.