AI chatbots are now becoming a part of students' education. Students as young as 15 are using them to understand new topics, conduct research, prepare assignments, and summarize long texts.
AI Use by Students
The use of AI chatbots in school education is rapidly increasing. Many students as young as 15 are now using these tools to learn new topics, conduct research, prepare assignments, and summarize assigned readings. However, increased use of AI does not necessarily translate into improved student scores. The OECD's PISA 2025 report reveals several important findings regarding the relationship between the use of AI and students' science performance.
What is PISA 2025 study?
This report was released by the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment. More than 760,000 students from 91 countries and economies participated in PISA 2025, representing approximately 33 million students aged 15 and over. The assessment focused on science, reading, and math, as well as learning in a digital world. India was not included in this report.
What do students use AI for?
According to the report, the most common use of AI chatbots in OECD countries was for learning assistance, followed by initial research on a new topic, drafting written assignments, and summarizing reading texts. However, AI usage varied among students. The number of students using AI almost daily remained limited. About 14 percent of students in OECD countries said they never or rarely used AI for any schoolwork-related tasks.
Using more AI doesn't improve scores.
The study found that students who don't use AI for schoolwork generally perform better in science than those who use it. These students were also found to be more likely to ask for help. Students who used AI once a week performed almost as well as non-users. Students who used AI daily or infrequently had lower science scores.
How much AI use is right for students?
According to the study, students who use AI in a limited and appropriate manner can improve their performance. Students who used AI for text summaries or preliminary research, from once a month to twice a week, performed better than those who used AI very rarely or not at all. However, the report does not prove that AI caused the lower scores. Student performance is also influenced by the purpose and manner in which they use AI.
