The Florida Department of Education is proposing a rule that would require all 28 public colleges in the Florida College System to adopt formal policies addressing artificial intelligence. The rule, approved by Education Commissioner Henry Mack on Monday, would cover how AI tools are used by students, staff, and guests on campus, with specific attention to academic integrity, course assignments, and grading.
The State Board of Education will consider the proposal at its next meeting on Sept. 16 at Polk State College in Winter Haven. If approved, each institution would need to outline both the permitted uses and limitations of AI tools.
"The purpose of this rule is to require Florida College System institutions to adopt policies that provide for the use and limitations of use of artificial intelligence tools in order to ensure quality of education for students, efficiency of operations, and a safe learning environment for the whole college community," the proposed rule states.
The rule defines AI instructional tools as software applications or services that use AI. It explicitly excludes AI designed to meet a student's social needs, such as systems that simulate friendship or relationships or use "anthropomorphic design features for the purpose of encouraging a student to continue interacting with the system."
The proposal follows a broader push by Florida officials to regulate AI in educational settings. The Department of Education is already directing K-12 school districts to incorporate AI rules into their internet safety guidelines. Those rules would require districts to notify parents when an AI instructional tool is approved for use and give parents the option to opt their child out. Any AI used in grades PreK-5 would undergo additional review, and no AI instructional tools could be used to meet a student's social or emotional needs or simulate an emotional relationship with a student.
Failed state legislation and the OpenAI lawsuit
The college policy proposal arrives after the state Senate's attempt to pass an AI Bill of Rights failed this year. The legislation, which would have restricted how tech companies interact with minors, did not address AI use in schools or universities. The House blocked multiple attempts to send the measure to Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, maintained that the issue should be deferred to the federal government.
The failed proposal included provisions for parental control over children's interactions with AI chatbots, prohibitions on state agencies contracting with AI firms tied to a "foreign country of concern," and rules about the unauthorized use of people's names, images, or likenesses.
Florida is also pursuing a civil lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming its ChatGPT product aided acts of violence. Attorney General James Uthmeier cited several incidents where the chatbot allegedly helped users commit murders, mass shootings, and suicides. The suit references the April 17, 2025, shooting at Florida State University, which left two dead and five wounded, and claims law enforcement officials say the alleged shooter consulted ChatGPT on weapons and ammunition.
The lawsuit alleges OpenAI was negligent, engaged in unfair trade practices, and violated public nuisance and product liability laws.
Why this matters for education professionals
For educators and administrators in Florida's public college system, this rule would create a formal framework for AI use that didn't previously exist. The specific exclusions - such as banning AI that simulates emotional relationships - signal that the state is drawing clear lines between instructional tools and social companions. Professionals in education should prepare for the possibility that their institutions will need to document AI policies, review approved tools, and build parent notification procedures into their workflows. The K-12 rules, which are further along in the process, offer a preview of the compliance requirements that college policies may mirror. For those working in education, understanding these policy shifts is becoming part of the job. Resources like AI for Education and the AI for Teachers learning path can help educators stay current with how AI is being integrated into classrooms and campuses.
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