Nearly 70% of middle and high school students believe artificial intelligence is eroding their critical thinking skills, according to a December 2025 survey by the RAND Corporation's American Youth Panel. AI usage for homework among these students increased from 48% to 62% in just seven months.

Students are being trained to write in less effective ways to demonstrate their humanity and differentiate from AI-generated content. This practice is leading to increased reliance on AI tools for writing assistance.