Nearly three-quarters of Japanese high school students use AI for schoolwork
73.7 percent of Japanese high school students are using conversational AI, primarily to complete homework and find information, according to a survey by the Gakken Research Institute for Learning and Education.
The institute surveyed 2,400 students across elementary, junior high, and high school levels in November 2025. High school students reported the highest adoption rate among the three groups.
How students use AI
High school students deploy AI most heavily for two tasks:
- 42.3% use it for studying and homework
- 26.0% use it to find information
Junior high students showed similar patterns, with 17.8% using AI for information and 17.7% for studying.
Elementary students gravitated toward different applications. 44.0% used AI to find information, 32.6% for studying, and 23.7% for creating illustrations.
Effects on thinking ability unclear
Most students reported no change to their thinking ability after using AI. Younger students were more likely to say their thinking had improved, while high school students more often felt it had weakened.
Hiroyuki Masukawa, a professor of cognitive science at Aoyama Gakuin University, said the findings underscore a need for better AI literacy. "It is essential to ensure children can use the technology as an assistant to help improve their thinking ability," he said.
Schools and educators face a practical question: how to prepare students to work alongside these tools effectively. Resources like AI training for teachers can help educators understand student AI use and design assignments accordingly. Broader AI for education resources address curriculum integration and literacy development.
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