Does AI stop children from learning?

Smart

The Economist

New data show the peril and promise of the technology

24. August 2026, 14:00

Students and Schoolchildren are increasingly using artificial intelligence. A survey last year by Chegg, an ed-tech firm, found that 80% of rich-world undergraduates used it in their studies. More recent polls put the figure at 94% in Britain and 93% in Germany.

Focused Asian child engages in online learning outdoors, using a laptop and headphones. It shows the role of technology and digital devices in remote education in modern learning environments.
Focused Asian child engages in online learning outdoors, using a laptop and headphones. It shows the role of technology and digital devices in remote education in modern learning environments.

Such widespread adoption has fuelled concerns about the impact the technology might be having on learning. Teachers report marking identikit essays that they suspect are churned out by ChatGPT. Yet firm evidence on AI’s educational effects has been lacking.

Die Grafik zeigt den Effekt der Nutzung von Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) auf Schülerleistungen in China (2023–2025). Drei Diagramme vergleichen Ergebnisse vor und nach der KI-Nutzung: 1) Hausaufgabennoten (Schüler mit KI erreichen höhere Werte), 2) Hausaufgabenerledigungszeit (Schüler mit KI arbeiten schneller), 3) Prüfungsnoten (Schüler mit KI erreichen schlechtere Ergebnisse). Die Verteilung der Schüler wird durch Überlagerung von Kurven visualisiert. Quelle: The Economist.

David Stromberg of Stockholm University and Victor Lei and Wu Yanhui of the University of Hong Kong set out to fill the gap. They tracked 27,000 pupils aged 12-18 in China, where AI adoption has been fast. Around 80% reported using models such as Doubao and DeepSeek; the other 20% formed the control group.

The results are eye-opening. After six months, pupils using AI saw their average homework score rise by 18% across all subjects. The time they took to complete each assignment fell from an average of 64 minutes to 45. But come exam time, the same students scored 20% below their classmates who had not called on AI’s help. Homework scores once predicted exam performance; now those who score highest are, perversely, more likely to do worse in exams.

Ein Liniendiagramm zeigt den durchschnittlichen Prüfungserfolg in China (Schüler im Alter von 12-18) von Januar 2023 bis Juni 2025, basierend auf der Nutzung von KI. Die schwarze Linie repräsentiert Schüler, die KI nie genutzt haben, mit einer leichten Steigerung über 100 hinaus. Die rote Linie zeigt Schüler, die KI nutzen, mit einem deutlichen Abfall unter 100 auf etwa 60. Der Bereich der 95-prozentigen Konfidenzintervalle ist angegeben. Die X-Achse steht für den Hausaufgabenerfolg (durchschnittlich ohne KI = 100), die Y-Achse für die Prüfungsergebnisse. Quelle: The Economist.

Should schools ban AI? Not necessarily. The drop in exam scores was concentrated among students who rushed their homework. Those who used AI but spent as long on assignments as non-users paid little penalty. What matters, then, is how pupils use the technology. Those whose exam results remained strong were not simply copying and pasting answers to save time. More likely they used the chatbots as a personal tutor, perhaps to explain difficult concepts or help solve specific problems.

In another new study, Zara Contractor and Germán Reyes of Middlebury College had undergraduates learn about an unfamiliar topic, either with or without the help of a chatbot. Students using AI scored higher on tests, and the advantage persisted when they repeated the task a week later.

Diagramm zeigt den durchschnittlichen Prüfungsscore von Schülern in China (12-18 Jahre) basierend auf der Hausaufgabenzeit (in Minuten) zwischen Januar 2023 und Juni 2025. Zwei Kurven:

The evidence, though still limited, points one way: AI can boost learning productivity, but only for those who use the technology intelligently. Students must resist the temptation to reach for an AI-generated answer before thinking things through for themselves.

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