Students in schools aren't learning because of AI

Question

The claim chosen is the idea of how students around the globe use AI to complete assignments, and use it as a tool. Over the years, it has impacted how much a student is actually learning because they have been using AI to complete most assignments. Students in middle school, high school, and college have had access to AI intelligence for several years, but recently it has become extremely well known around the world. Now, students have regularly used AI or Chat GPT to complete work for them, rather than using it as a learning tool. There are several concerns around the rise of AI and one of them being students aren't properly learning because they are using tools like this to complete their work. “Use of A.I. removes the student’s need to think, which is very dangerous. If students grow up without using their brains then they definitely won’t be able to use them later,” (New York Times). It's become extremely well known how much AI can negatively or positively impact a student's mind, one being students are working their minds the same way older generations had to do to learn. 

“One of the negative consequences AI is having on students is that it is hurting their ability to develop meaningful relationships with teachers, the report finds. Half of the students agree that using AI in class makes them feel less connected to their teachers,”(EducationWeek). If you aren’t constantly engaged in the classroom, and asking your teacher questions, you are creating a healthy bond with your teacher and classmates. Some argue that AI can be a helpful learning tool, and many students use it as a study tool, and write things in their own words, improving their writing skills. Many teachers have claimed that they have taught students to use AI in a responsible way, but the counter argument would be there is always a temptation to use it as an easy way out of an assignment. Some have also claimed that they believe AI should not be included in classrooms at all. “They put in little to no effort and they struggle a bit when it comes to the tests and quizzes. Learning how to use A.I., on the other hand, can be a good thing, but I think it should be kept far from school related things,”(New York Times). Even though there are several arguments if AI should be considered a positive or negative tool, both sides balance in the middle, the middle being AI is affecting young adults minds and development. “Someone needs to start talking about how adolescent brains work and what teens need to be doing in order to fully develop their prefrontal cortex,” (New York Times). Overall, there are many questions and concerns going around about AI harming how much a student is learning in the classrooms today, and how much it has negatively and positively impacted the world today.

Answer 1

The claim that students “aren’t learning because of AI” is misleading. While concerns exist about misuse of AI tools (such as over-reliance or academic dishonesty), research and educational data show that AI doesn't inherently prevent learning. In many cases, AI can support learning, improve feedback quality, personalize instruction, and enhance student engagement when used appropriately. The evidence suggests the issue is how AI is integrated into classrooms, not that AI itself stops learning altogether.

In the source https://www.edsurge.com it is reported that classroom case studies where AI tools are used for brainstorming, revision, and personalized tutoring shows that learning outcomes depend on instructional design, not the presence of AI alone.

USA Today (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2024/ai-classrooms-learning-benefits/) reports that many educators are adapting to include AI literacy and critical-thinking skills, noting that schools integrating AI thoughtfully are seeing increased student engagement rather than decreased learning. Although, it's important to note that media outlets like USA Today may highlight trends and success stories, creating bias.

Ultimately, this claim is misleading and exaggerated.

Answer 2

The claim that “students in schools aren’t learning because of AI” is a very broad claim and not entirely supported by the evidence that is available. Research and reporting shows that AI in schools can have negative effects on engagement and skill development but there has been no evidence that conclusively states that students aren’t learning because of AI. In the Newsweek article that you shared, it talks about the negative effects on skill development, engagement, and student-teacher relationships, and also risk factors for students and teachers that use AI.Credible sources, Harvard Graduate School of Education analysis, have a different outlook and they show that when you integrate it correctly, AI can actually enhance student learning instead of trying to replace it.  In a Pew Research survey that I found, it shows that ¼ of US teachers think AI does more harm than good but it never states that students aren’t learning. Education Week is a publication that focuses more on education policy and perspectives from teachers so there could be some biases towards AI based on teachers personal opinions of AI in the classroom. Pew Research relies on surveys and self reporting which is based on personal opinions instead of measurable learning outcomes. As the original post author, you show AI as harmful and say that students aren’t learning because of AI but don’t actually give hard evidence to back that up. Overall, based on the articles referenced, I believe there is enough information undermining the claim that “students aren’t learning because of AI” that shows that the claim exaggerates the evidence and is not a credible claim. 

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/news/25/04/ai-can-add-not-just-subtract-learning 

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/05/15/a-quarter-of-u-s-teachers-say-ai-tools-do-more-harm-than-good-in-k-12-education/

https://www.edweek.org/technology/rising-use-of-ai-in-schools-comes-with-big-downsides-for-students/2025/10

Answer 3

While the outright claim that students "aren't learning" at ALL might be overexaggerated, there is evidence that students' learning is declining because of AI use. Some people argue that with the vast amount of information easily accessible able via AI chatbots like ChatGPT and CoPilot, student's will be able to learn faster, most experts think that the ease of AI for completing assignments takes the learning away from the student themself. According to NPR (Report: The risks of AI in schools outweigh the benefits : NPR), students' cognitive development is being hinder due to dependency on AI. When essays or homework can be completed at the touch of a button, why would students--especially children whose brains aren't developed--choose the harder option of actually doing it themselves? The NPR report says that kids are already losing content knowledge, creativity, and critical thinking skills at a higher rate than ever seen before. In addition, because AI algorithms are designed to reenforce the user's beliefs, this leads to echo chambers where students may unlearn how to interact with people with differing views.