Pupils in England are losing their thinking skills because of AI, survey suggests

Two-thirds of secondary school teachers report a decline in core abilities such as writing and problem-solving

Pupils using artificial intelligence are losing their capacity for critical thinking, according to a survey of secondary school teachers in England.

Two-thirds said they had observed the decline among children who they also said no longer felt the need to spell because of voice-to-text technology.

“Students are losing core skills – thinking, creativity, writing, even how to have a conversation,” one teacher told the National Education Union poll.

“AI is destroying what ‘learning’ – problem-solving, critical thinking and collaborative effort – is,” said another. A third anonymous contributor added: “Children no longer feel the need to spell as voice-to-text replaces knowledge.”