The Risks and Rewards of AI in School: What to Know
The Risks and Rewards of AI in School: What to Know
https://www.edweek.org/technology/the-risks-and-rewards-of-ai-in-school-what-to-know/2026/01
Publish Date: 2026-01-30 16:53:00
Source Domain: www.edweek.org
-
Widespread Use of AI in Education: Despite concerns, a significant percentage of teachers and students use AI tools regularly, with many high schoolers employing AI for information and answering questions.
-
Benefits of AI: AI can personalize education and boost productivity. It helps students struggling with understanding by offering different explanations and is particularly beneficial for neurodivergent students, offering tools like synthetic voice creation for communication.
-
Concerns Over Over-reliance and Cognitive Development: The unguided use of AI can lead students to shortcut learning and undermines cognitive development. It also risks diminishing the ability to receive and accept feedback, crucial for educational growth.
-
Disruption of Teacher-Student Relationships: The introduction of AI tools is perceived to undermine trust between teachers and students, affecting grading and assignment development.
-
Underutilization of AI’s Potential: While there’s potential for transformative use like interactive virtual reality, many educators are not fully leveraging AI’s capabilities, focusing more on administrative tasks.
-
AI Literacy Concerns: There is developing AI literacy frameworks, but there is a need for better understanding of AI to ensure students use it responsibly and effectively.
-
Varying Adoption Speeds: Schools are adopting AI tools at different paces. Some are cautious, focusing on benefits and risk mitigation, while others are pushing forward, indicating a varied approach across districts.
