Pupils in England are losing their thinking skills because of AI, survey suggests | AI (artificial intelligence)

A survey of secondary school teachers in England reveals that many believe students using artificial intelligence (AI) are losing critical thinking skills and other core abilities.
Teachers are concerned that the use of AI, especially voice-to-text technology, diminishes the importance of spelling and writing.
Responses from teachers indicate worries about the erosion of problem-solving, creativity, and collaborative learning due to reliance on AI.
There is skepticism regarding the government’s plan to introduce AI tutoring tools to support 450,000 disadvantaged pupils, with concerns it may replace human tutoring which is deemed more effective for social skill development.
Despite reservations, many teachers report using AI in their day-to-day work, though a significant number of schools lack policies governing AI use.
The National Education Union expresses concern that unregulated and improperly trained use of AI could produce subpar educational outcomes.
The general secretary of the NEU emphasizes the importance of independent critical thinking, cautioning against the unproven impacts of AI tutors on educational equity.
A government spokesperson defends the planned use of AI, asserting its goal is to make tailored support accessible to all students while stressing safety and critical usage principles.