In a shocking twist no one could have possibly predicted, the Oklahoma Senate has unanimously agreed that maybe, just maybe, kids shouldn’t be left alone with artificial intelligence. State Senator Ally Seifried is spearheading that realization with Senate Bill 1734, which sailed through the chamber on a 42-0 vote. The measure, officially titled the Oklahoma Responsible Technology in Schools Act, aims to put some long-overdue guardrails on how AI is used in classrooms across the state.

Under the bill, schools would need to ensure AI tools are age-appropriate and, brace yourself, actually used under the supervision of a human teacher. Districts would also be required to notify parents when AI is part of classroom instruction, giving them the option to opt their child out. Apparently parents like knowing what’s happening in their kid’s education. The legislation also tasks the Oklahoma State Department of Education with developing guidance on responsible AI use, while local school boards must establish their own policies before the 2027–2028 school year.

Seifried framed the bill as a necessary step to balance innovation with common sense, warning that AI could do more harm than good without proper safeguards. The goal, she says, is to ensure students still develop critical thinking skills instead of outsourcing their homework, and possibly their brains, to a chatbot. The bill now heads to the House, where Representative Anthony Moore has signed on as a coauthor, presumably ready to continue the bold legislative push of making sure technology in schools is used… responsibly.