Question: Is AI Harmful to Education?

Where do you stand on AI? Back in 2023, the Pew Research Center asked K-12 teachers about how they view the use of AI tools: Is AI harmful to education? While a large percentage were either uncertain or on the fence, 25 percent drew a clear line in the sand declaring the tools cause "more harm than benefit." 

A very small percentage, only six percent of educators, said they believe AI tools provide “more benefit than harm.” 

Views tend to differ by school level, writes Luona Lin, a Pew research associate. When asked “is AI harmful,” high school teachers, for example, are “more likely than elementary and middle school teachers to hold negative views about AI tools in education.” It’s probable that older students have more opportunities in the upper grades to utilize the technology, and many have found a number of use cases. 

In a separate survey, 69 percent of teens familiar with the tool say it’s “acceptable to use it to research new topics,” while 39 percent believe it’s acceptable to solve math problems with the tools and 20 percent think it’s fine to use the tool to write essays.

Whatever your thoughts, your insights could help other educators considering how they might use AI tools. Tell us in the comments: is AI harmful in education?

Let’s create a space where teachers can discuss important issues like this one, so that we may all benefit from the community's collective wisdom.

More About AI Tools in Education

If you're looking for additional resources, check out our page on ChatGPT & Generative AI. The page updates when anything new on the topic is published. You might also find these resources helpful:

• Why I’m Banning Student AI Use This Year
• Proactively Limiting the Use of AI in the Classroom
• How AI Vaporizes Long-Term Learning (video)
• Teaching Students How to Use AI Responsibly
• Helping Students Use AI Creatively Without the Temptation of Cheating
• How Teachers Can Help Shape Educational Uses of AI in Their Schools

Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the role of AI tools in education. If you have questions of your own, feel free to post them here—our community facilitators are ready to help!

At Edutopia, we're always looking for educators to share their strategies. If you have ideas that go beyond what can be shared in the comments, please be sure to visit our Write for Us page.