AI in schools risks 'dumbing down a generation', report warns

A major report from Explore Learning, the UK’s largest independent tuition provider, warns poorly designed AI systems could create the illusion of learning - while real knowledge collapses once the technology is removed.

The warning comes as ministers examine how artificial intelligence should be used in schools following the Government’s Schools White Paper and a nationwide call for evidence on AI in education.

Experts say over-reliance on AI can weaken pupils’ ability to think, problem-solve and learn independently - particularly among younger children whose brains are still developing.

The news comes as research shows pupils across the country are increasingly turning to AI tools to generate homework, summarise information and even write essays.

Many pupils themselves are already worried about the impact.

A study commissioned by Oxford University Press found 80 per cent of students aged 13 to 18 said they regularly use AI for schoolwork, while 62 per cent said it had had a negative impact on their skills and development at school.

Around one in four agreed AI “makes it too easy for me to find the answers without doing the work myself”.

A further 12 per cent said AI “limits my creative thinking”, while similar numbers said it made them less likely to solve problems or write creatively.

Nearly half of the 2,000 pupils surveyed also said they were worried classmates were secretly using AI for schoolwork without teachers being able to spot it.

Lisa Haycox, chief executive of Explore Learning, which carried out the report, said schools must not rush to embrace the technology simply because it is fashionable.

She said: “We need to think about the future of learning and how this technology is being used. My fear is that the increasing use of AI will stop pupils learning to think critically, question evidence, problem solve and it could hinder their ability to build resilience.

“AI is very good at repeat tasks but not at important human skills needed to learn, challenge and be curious which are also important for a future workforce.”

She warned some systems risk giving pupils the illusion they have mastered a subject when they have not.

“The research is clear: poorly designed tools risk a mirage of false mastery, where short-term gains disappear when the technology is removed", she said.

"We cannot forfeit children’s futures for hype.”

She added: “The UK’s education system is under greater pressure than ever, and AI has significant potential to alleviate these challenges, but only when backed by strong evidence and proven to improve outcomes, with the same rigour we expect of any educational intervention.”

Dr Hisham Ihshaish, head of data and AI at Explore Learning, said: “At Explore Learning, the question has never been whether to use AI, but how.”