One in three pupils say they cannot tell if AI content is true – poll

Nearly a third (32%) of secondary school pupils say they cannot tell whether artificial intelligence (AI) content is true, research has found.

While eight in 10 pupils surveyed for Oxford University Press said they used AI tools in their schoolwork, fewer than half (47%) felt confident identifying accurate AI-generated information.

The rest of the pupils surveyed said they were unsure if they could tell whether AI content is accurate (21%).

Daniel Williams, associate assistant headteacher and AI lead at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, said many pupils recognise AI’s value, but “often use it as a shortcut rather than a learning tool”.

“Like the report suggests, fewer than half can judge the accuracy or bias of AI content, which mirrors what I see, especially in the sixth form.”

The survey, carried out by Opinium of 2,000 pupils aged 13 to 18, further found nearly half (48%) wanted support from their teachers to help them understand where they can trust AI-generated content.

However, a third did not feel their teachers were confident using AI tools in lessons, and nearly half (47%) were worried their teachers cannot spot when classmates are using AI to do their schoolwork.

More than six in 10 (62%) said they felt AI had had a negative impact on their schoolwork skills – a quarter (26%) said using AI made schoolwork too easy, and 12% said using it limits their creative thinking.

Pupils in London were most likely (92%) to say they used AI tools in their schoolwork. London pupils were also far more likely to say they were confident spotting AI misinformation (63%).

The Curriculum and Assessment Review, which is due to publish its final report this autumn, highlighted earlier this year that the school curriculum must respond to technological change and ensure young people are equipped to navigate misinformation in a world increasingly using AI.

The Department for Education has published a range of resources to advise schools on how to use AI safely. Oxford University Press is also running an AI and education website with AI resources for schools.

Amie Lawless, secondary product director at Oxford University Press, said it is encouraging to see that young people are aware of the challenges around AI.

“We know that teachers are under many different pressures, which is why we developed our new AI and Education Hub to bring together educators and experts across the industry to provide guidance, inspiration and support to schools as AI becomes increasingly integrated in the classroom,” she said.