A majority of American adults now believe artificial intelligence causes more harm than good in education, according to a new NBC News Decision Desk Poll powered by SurveyMonkey. The survey reveals a significant portion of U.S. adults think schools that avoid AI technology will better support student development than those that embrace it. The findings arrive as school districts nationwide face mounting pressure to decide how-or whether-to integrate these tools into classrooms.
The poll reflects broader discomfort with AI's expanding role in settings where children's development is at stake. While more Americans use AI in daily life, many remain uneasy about its presence in education. Experts continue to debate whether AI tools enhance learning or create dependencies that weaken critical thinking and traditional academic skills.
Growing public skepticism
The NBC News survey does not stand alone. It adds to a body of polling data showing unease about artificial intelligence across American society. Education specifically triggers heightened concern because it involves young learners still forming foundational skills. Parents and educators worry that overreliance on AI could shortchange the messy, human process of learning how to think.
These concerns extend well beyond school walls. Tech executives from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind have recently coalesced around calls for self-regulation, arguing their industry should establish its own rules and standards for AI technology.
Can tech companies regulate themselves?
Not everyone buys that argument. "Self regulation is an oxymoron," Alex Bores, a New York state assemblyman who supports nationwide AI regulation, told NBC News. "That's just Congress and the president not living up to their duty to protect the American people." The tension between industry-led standards and government oversight remains unresolved, even as AI tools become more capable.
For educators, this debate plays out in practical terms every day. Teachers must decide whether to allow AI-assisted writing, problem-solving, or research in their assignments. Many lack clear guidance from their districts. Resources like AI for Teachers Courses offer structured approaches for educators navigating these decisions, but adoption varies widely across schools.
The classroom reality
School districts are splitting into two camps: those limiting AI access and those experimenting with integration. Neither approach has clear evidence of superiority yet. What is clear is that the technology will not wait for consensus. AI capabilities continue to expand, and students are already using these tools whether schools sanction them or not.
The core tension involves preparation versus preservation. Schools want to prepare students for a future shaped by AI. At the same time, they must preserve essential human learning experiences-struggling through a difficult math problem, drafting and redrafting an essay, learning to evaluate sources without an algorithmic assistant.
Why this matters for educators
Teachers and administrators face a decision that will define their profession for years. Public sentiment is shifting toward caution, and parents may increasingly question AI-heavy curricula. Educators who understand both the capabilities and limits of these tools will be better positioned to make defensible choices about classroom use. The AI for Education resources provide frameworks for evaluating where AI helps and where it hinders. The survey data suggests that communities want schools to move deliberately-not rush to adopt technology simply because it exists.
Your membership also unlocks:
