According to a survey of secondary school teachers in England, students using artificial intelligence are losing their ability to think critically, The Guardian reports.
Two-thirds of respondents stated that they have observed a decline in literacy levels among children. Some have also stopped feeling the need to be able to write due to voice-to-text technology.
“Students are losing key skills — thinking, creativity, writing, even the ability to hold a conversation,” said one teacher during a survey conducted by the National Union of Teachers.
“Artificial intelligence is undermining the very essence of ‘learning’ — problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration,” said another respondent. A third anonymous participant added: “Children no longer feel the need to write out letters, as speech-to-text conversion replaces knowledge.”
Despite teachers complaining about the detrimental impact of AI on children, the educators themselves have started using the technology more frequently. According to the survey, up to 76% use AI in their daily work, which is significantly higher than the 53% reported last year. Primarily, artificial intelligence is used for creating materials (61%), lesson planning (41%), and performing administrative tasks (38%). Only 7% use AI tools for grading assignments.
