By hearing directly from students, we can understand the current impact AI has on their learning, how they think it has helped and hindered, and how students actually want to use it, as well as how teachers can help them to do so.
Read on for:
What the survey says about students’ use of AI
In a new report by the Oxford University Press, 2,000 students aged 13-18 from across the UK were surveyed in August 2025 to capture a snapshot of students’ views on AI. It is important to hear from the students directly affected, as understanding their needs can help schools to develop interventions and guidance and design lessons and policies that meet their students where they are.
How are students currently using AI?
The report found that eight in ten young people reported using AI tools in their schoolwork, with a similar proportion reporting using it for homework. In other words, tools like ChatGPT are already deeply embedded in students’ learning habits, whether schools formally acknowledge it or not.
The issue isn’t how many students use AI, but how effectively they use it. One third (32%) of students said they couldn’t tell if AI-generated content was true, while a fifth (21%) remained unsure.
Dr Alexandra Tomescu, a Generative AI and Machine Learning Specialist at Oxford University Press, explains:
“This research tells us that students are attuned to the effects of AI on classroom and independent learning and highlights how AI tools, designed with learning principles at their core and grounded in strong pedagogy, are absolutely necessary to enhance teaching and facilitate learning for all.”
What concerns do students have about AI?
Students are aware that LLMs (large language models) like ChatGPT can produce misinformation, and they often struggle to identify what’s accurate. Among their top concerns:
- 60% of students worry that AI tools encourage copying rather than original work.
- 51% fear that AI resources may be biased or reinforce stereotypes.
- 48% worry that peers secretly use AI to complete schoolwork.
- 47% believe teachers can’t always spot it.
Similarly, a third of students think their teachers aren’t confident using AI tools, while another third want teachers to make greater use of AI in lessons. This tension may lead to a ‘keep up’ mindset, with students feeling the pressure to use AI because others are doing so, potentially creating a cycle of dependency. Although it is encouraging that young people are aware of these challenges, it highlights the need for AI systems that are built on trusted content, strong pedagogy and clear ethical guidance.
How has AI impacted skill development?
Six in ten students felt AI had also negatively impacted their schoolwork skills. Specifically, they said:
- 26% said it makes it too easy to find answers without doing the work themselves.
- 12% stated that it limits their creative thinking.
- 8% believed that it reduces their ability to understand and solve problems.
Other studies show that AI may make students forget; students who used ChatGPT to help write essays remembered far less of the content than those who wrote independently. This suggests that while AI can aid thinking during a task, overreliance may hinder deeper learning and memory retention.
Interesting quotes from students included:
“It provides answers to questions for me very easy without me going to do much research about a specific topic or subject”
“It does not allow me to challenge myself”
“Am dependent on it now”
What do students want to use AI for?
When asked how they’d like to use AI, the most popular answers included:
- Creating and planning revision schedules
- Generating flashcards, mock tests and feedback on essays
Some students expressed how they ideally want to use AI:
“I want it to give me practice questions and help me spot where I’ve gone wrong in my homework”
“Access to new ideas or difficult to find sources of information”
This reinforces the potential for AI to act as a scaffold, helping students practise, revise and self-assess when guided by teachers.
Top tips for embracing AI in the classroom
Almost half of the students surveyed want their teachers to help them understand which AI-generated content is reliable, and over half want schools to provide clearer guidance on when to use AI tools. Given how much potential it has to hinder student learning, it is somewhat reassuring that students acknowledge this and want their teachers to be able to help them confidently navigate these challenging waters.
1. Be intentional with your AI choices
Not every AI tool deserves a place in your classroom. To help, consider:
- Start with a clear purpose: what problem will this solve?
- Prioritise tools that encourage thinking, not copying.
- Appoint an AI lead to oversee quality, ethics and impact, ensuring alignment with curriculum and safeguarding standards.
The goal isn’t to use AI for AI’s sake, but to select tools that genuinely enhance learning outcomes and align with your school’s values.
2. Teach students when and when not to use AI
AI can generate information fast, but not always accurately. Students need help learning to question and verify what they see.
- Encourage them to check multiple sources before accepting an AI answer.
- Discuss how bias, stereotypes and misinformation can appear in AI output.
- Explain the importance of not taking mental shortcuts, as this can hinder their learning.
Encouraging active learning, not passive consumption, should be the guiding principle for any use of AI.
Final thoughts
AI isn’t the end of education as we know it; it’s the next phase of it. Young people are already using these tools, so it’s important we equip them with the critical and ethical awareness to use them thoughtfully. We need to be guiding our students, as they are already using it. Without our direction, we are leaving them to fend for themselves.
