The risks of using generative artificial intelligence to educate children and teens currently overshadow the benefits, according to a new study by the Brookings Institution’s Center for Universal Education.
The sweeping study includes focus groups and interviews with K-12 students, parents, educators, and tech experts in 50 countries, as well as a literature review of hundreds of research articles. It found that using AI in education can “undermine children’s foundational development” and that “the damages it has already caused are daunting,” though “fixable.”
Because generative AI is still young — ChatGPT was released just over three years ago — the report’s authors dubbed their review a “premortem” intended to study AI’s potential in the classroom without a postmortem’s benefits of time, long-term data, or hindsight.
Here are some of the pros and cons that the report lays out, along with a sampling of the study’s recommendations for teachers, parents, school leaders, and government officials: MindShift
Pro: AI can help students learn to read and write
Teachers surveyed for the report said AI can be useful when it comes to language acquisition, especially for students learning a second language. ……..
Con: AI poses a grave threat to students’ cognitive development
At the top of Brookings’ list of risks is the negative effect AI can have on children’s cognitive growth — how they learn new skills and perceive and solve problems……..
Pro: AI can make teachers’ jobs a little easier
The report says another benefit of AI is that it allows teachers to automate some tasks: “generating parent emails … translating materials, creating worksheets, rubrics, quizzes, and lesson plans” — and more…………..
Pro/Con: AI can be an engine of equity — or inequity
One of the strongest arguments in favor of AI’s educational use, according to the Brookings report, is its ability to reach children who have been excluded from the classroom. The researchers cite Afghanistan, where girls and women have been denied access to formal, postprimary education by the Taliban……….
Con: AI poses serious threats to social and emotional development
Survey responses revealed deep concern that use of AI, particularly chatbots, “is undermining students’ emotional well-being, including their ability to form relationships, recover from setbacks, and maintain mental health,” the report says…………
What to do about it
Schools should move away from grade-focused tasks and instead promote curiosity and genuine learning, which reduces students’ incentives to rely on AI. AI tools for young people should challenge assumptions rather than simply agree with them. Collaboration between educators and tech companies — such as co-design hubs in the Netherlands — can ensure that AI tools support real learning. Both teachers and students need strong AI literacy, as seen in national guidelines in countries like China and Estonia. It’s also essential to ensure that under-resourced schools are not left behind, so AI doesn’t deepen inequality. Finally, governments must regulate AI use in schools to protect students’ well-being and privacy, especially in countries like the U.S., where federal rules remain unclear.
Other sources:
Forbes, Report: In Education, Risks Of AI Overshadow The Benefits
