Study finds 80% of students use AI for schoolwork
What's the story
A recent study has revealed that students are concerned about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on their education. Commissioned by Oxford University Press (OUP), the research surveyed over 2,000 students aged 13 to 18 and found that 80% use AI for their schoolwork. The study also indicated that while the vast majority of teenagers rely on AI for assignments, more than half struggle to identify misinformation.
Concerns raised
62% students feel AI has negatively impacted their skills
The study found that 62% of students feel AI has negatively impacted their skills and development at school. A quarter of the respondents agreed that AI "makes it too easy for me to find the answers without doing the work myself." Further, 12% said AI "limits my creative thinking," while similar numbers admitted to being less likely to solve problems or write creatively.
Need for guidance
Students worried about 'secretly' using AI for schoolwork
Nearly half of the 2,000 students surveyed by OUP were worried their classmates were "secretly using AI" for schoolwork without detection by teachers. Many wanted more help from teachers on appropriate AI use and assessing its output reliability. In response, OUP is launching a new AI education hub to support teachers.
Mixed impact
Some students believe AI helped them gain new skills
Despite the concerns, some students said using AI helped them gain new skills. This includes 18% who said it helped them understand problems and 15% who said it helped them come up with "new and better" ideas. One 15-year-old girl said, "I have been able to understand maths better and it helps me to solve difficult questions."
Student experiences
Mixed responses from students
A 14-year-old boy said, "I now think faster than I used to." He was one of the students who found that AI had a positive impact on their creative thinking and problem-solving skills. The mixed responses show that while some students feel AI is making schoolwork too easy, others believe it is helping them learn new skills and think more quickly.