OECD’s latest report: Students who use less or no AI to complete their homework perform better than those who frequently use AI

The latest global education report released by the OECD indicates that students who do not use or use AI for homework less often perform better overall than those who use it frequently. The report is based on sample data from 760,000 students in 91 countries. Data shows that students who never use AI to write assignments scored an average of 509 points on science tests, while those who used such tools daily scored only 481 points on average – a difference equivalent to about one and a half years of teaching progress. The Director of the OECD Department of Education and Skills noted that learning requires active cognitive effort from the brain, and AI should be used as a supplementary tool rather than a shortcut to replace such effort. Although there is currently a divide in the use of AI in education, with less than 20% of students using it frequently, the report also suggests that moderate use may lead to better academic performance if students maintain critical thinking and control their usage frequency (e.g., once or twice a week). Additionally, if classroom requirements involve students assessing information generated by AI, their science scores can be 13 points higher for those who use it daily.