A new direction for students in an AI world: The risks are too high
After Brookings Institute researchers conducted interviews, focus groups, and consultations with over 500 students, teachers, parents, education leaders, and technologists across 50 countries, a close review of over 400 studies, and a Delphi panel, their conclusion was concrete: At this point in its trajectory, the risks of utilizing generative AI in children’s education overshadow its benefits. These researchers found that the the use of generative AI in children’s schooling undermines their foundational development. If children are unable to fully develop because of AI use, any purported ‘benefits’ are completely unrealized, and unimportant.
This is why we are fighting to protect students from the harms of generative AI. Learning is not simply about feeding children new information. It’s about how they learn, their social and emotional connections, relationships with teachers and peers, and critical thinking skills. Generative AI in our classrooms is not inevitable, and we have a responsibility to protect children’s right to grow and develop. Sign our petition!
Mary Burns, Rebecca Winthrop, Natasha Luther, Emma Venetis, and Rida Karim | Brookings Institute | January 14, 2026
