Nearly half of young people in England trust AI more than humans, study finds

Nearly half of young people in England trust AI more than humans, study finds UK schools battling ‘crisis of relevance’ as pupils’ reliance on artificial intelligence rises, report warns - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Almost half of young people now trust artificial intelligence to verify facts over a human, according to a major study. The survey, which involved more than 4,000 people aged 11 to 24 in England, warns that schools will be forced to confront a “crisis of relevance” if they fail to adapt to the advance of AI. Results revealed that nearly 87 per cent of young people already use AI tools, with 47 per cent of respondents saying they would trust AI over a human for fact-checking. This widespread reliance has sparked fears that traditional education is rapidly losing its perceived authority among pupils. When asked whether artificial intelligence has made school education more or less important, 42 per cent said less important. The study, which forms part of a landmark report co-authored by Sir Anthony Seldon and tech entrepreneur Tim Bunting, found British classrooms are currently teaching for an "AI-less world that no longer exists." The data finds 87 per cent of young people already use AI tools, with 63 per cent of secondary school pupils using them for homework and 77 per cent relying on them to understand topics they are stuck on. Despite this widespread adoption, fewer than 10 per cent of respondents believe their schools or universities are adequately preparing them for a future alongside the technology. For experts, the low figure shows that the traditional education system is at real risk of losing its legitimacy, where classrooms stand to look like "protective fiction" rather than practical preparation for work and life. “Education has not kept pace with how – and how much – young people are already using AI, and that gap is starting to show up as a loss of perceived value in the institution itself,” the report notes. “In the absence of a robust, human response to AI in education, young people are placing their trust in AI.” The authors criticised educational institutions for treating the technology as a threat rather than an evolving reality, arguing that schools and universities currently "behave as if AI were a temporary contaminant to be fenced off." The findings come amid a growing tug-of-war over how the state should respond to artificial intelligence in the classroom. While prime minister Andy Burnham recently unveiled plans to reshape secondary education by introducing technical courses linked to AI and local industries into the national curriculum, the report does not deem such measures as enough. Instead, it terms the “chaotic and anarchic” introduction of AI to schools as “the greatest dereliction of responsibility by government this century. “Parents, teachers, governors, school leaders and pupils are crying out for trusted guidance. There is little that is reliable across the sector,” the report says. To address the divide, the report calls on ministers to adopt a 10-point action plan, which includes establishing a dedicated AI rapid response unit within the Department for Education (DfE) and creating a national network of 100 "AI champion" schools and colleges. In response to the findings, a DfE spokesperson maintained the government is taking steps to refresh the curriculum. They said: “AI is a fast-moving, emerging technology that presents significant opportunities and challenges – which we take incredibly seriously. “The new Education Secretary is leading the reform of the education system to equip young people for lives and careers in this rapidly changing world. “We are introducing new, high-quality vocational pathways so every child has a route to a successful career and are helping schools harness the benefits of AI by building new safe AI tutoring tools – as well as investing £23 million to understand which technologies have the most impact.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments