Students are using AI in school and test scores are down, but the OECD finds that those who use it once or twice a week perform similarly to nonusers

A recent OECD study on student performance and AI usage finds that moderate, intentional use of artificial intelligence in schools may have a positive impact on learning outcomes. Contrary to the belief that AI is solely detrimental to student skills, the research suggests that a balanced approach, with students employing AI tools once or twice a week, can lead to relatively strong performance in certain subjects, such as science.

Specifically, students who used AI for summarizing assigned reading or preliminary research once or twice weekly scored at levels comparable to those who did not use AI at all, once socioeconomic status was taken into account. This "Goldilocks effect" implies that AI can be a valuable educational tool when utilized purposefully and within moderation.

However, excessive or unguided use of AI can lead to distraction and shallower engagement, hindering students' ability to actively engage with learning materials, much like how consistently watching sports does not result in physical fitness. Instead, the learning process requires active cognitive engagement with new information.

While the overall decline in reading, mathematics, and science scores since 2003 cannot be attributed solely to AI, the study highlights that students who do not use AI for schoolwork generally outperform those who do. Notably, about one in five students reported using AI chatbots almost every day, yet these students tended to score lower in science compared to their non-AI using peers, after considering socioeconomic factors.

This creates a concerning feedback loop where students who over-rely on AI may struggle to identify incomplete or inaccurate AI-generated answers, further exacerbating the learning gap. The findings also indicate a troubling decline in critical thinking skills, such as evaluating information, synthesizing knowledge from multiple sources, and making critical judgments about the content read.

As the digital world becomes increasingly inundated with information, this decline in analytical skills poses a significant challenge for students navigating an era dominated by artificial intelligence.