Two-thirds of English teachers report student skill decline linked to AI use
Secondary school teachers in England say pupils are losing critical thinking and writing abilities as they rely on artificial intelligence, according to a survey of 9,000 educators by the National Education Union.
Sixty-six percent of respondents observed declines in core skills including problem-solving, creativity, and conversation. Teachers also reported that students no longer feel the need to spell because voice-to-text technology handles it for them.
"Students are losing core skills - thinking, creativity, writing, even how to have a conversation," one teacher told the union. Another said: "AI is destroying what 'learning' - problem-solving, critical thinking and collaborative effort - is."
Government pushes AI tutoring despite teacher skepticism
The government plans to roll out AI tutoring tools to 450,000 disadvantaged pupils, framing the technology as a way to democratize one-to-one learning support. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the tools could "transform access to tailored support for young people, taking tutoring from a privilege of the lucky few, to every child who needs it."
Teachers are not convinced. Forty-nine percent of those surveyed opposed the AI tutor plan, while just 14% supported it.
Concerns center on motivation and social needs. "Students will not be motivated by an AI tutor," one respondent said. Another noted: "Disadvantaged students need human interaction for tutoring rather than AI so that social skills can be enhanced and social isolation reduced."
Teachers also worry the initiative will be used to cut costs and undermine the value of teaching expertise. "Students who need tutors often need more than academic support. AI will not give them that," one educator said.
Teachers increasingly use AI themselves, but lack guidance
Despite concerns about student reliance on AI, 76% of teachers now use the technology for their own work-up from 53% last year. Most use it to create resources (61%), plan lessons (41%), and handle administrative tasks (38%).
The adoption outpaces policy. Forty-nine percent of schools have no AI governance for staff or students. Sixty-six percent lack policies specific to student use.
"Staff are not trained to use it properly, but are using it and it's producing sub-standard slop," one teacher commented. Another said: "If used correctly, AI can be a valuable educational tool; regulation and guidance is needed, and training and policies should be in place in every school for staff and students."
Union warns of risks; government defends approach
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said the profession is unconvinced that AI tutors will close opportunity gaps for disadvantaged students. "The government is taking a risk in rolling out AI tutoring before its impacts are properly understood," he said.
A government spokesperson countered that the technology is necessary to prepare students for a digitally enabled world. "No technology should replace the foundations of core knowledge and disciplinary thinking that prepares pupils for later life," the spokesperson said. "But we also have to prepare children for a digitally enabled world."
The department said it will ensure AI is used "safely, critically and responsibly" through its schools white paper.
For educators navigating these tensions, understanding how to use AI effectively while preserving student learning outcomes is becoming essential. Resources like AI Learning Path for Teachers offer guidance on using AI tools responsibly in the classroom, while AI for Education covers broader applications and implications for schools.
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