A study titled The Generative AI Learning Penalty: Evidence from Chinese Secondary Education found that AI use was linked to an 18% rise in homework scores but a 20% fall in monthly in-class examination
scores six months after students first used the technology. The study covered students in Classes 7 to 12 in China. Self-reported AI use rose from almost zero to around 80% between 2022 and 2025.
The growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT in education is raising concerns about whether students are learning concepts themselves or relying on technology to complete assignments.
The World Bank’s World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence highlights the risks of using AI without proper guidance. While these tools can help students understand difficult topics and complete tasks faster, excessive dependence on them may reduce the effort students put into learning.
The study, The Generative AI Learning Penalty: Evidence from Chinese Secondary Education, also found that students who had used AI scored 5% to 7% lower, on average, in senior high school and college entrance examinations.
The researchers noted that students spent less time on homework as their scores improved. However, their performance in monthly in-class examinations declined.
The study had not yet been peer-reviewed, so its findings need to be interpreted with caution. It also reflects the early stages of AI adoption and does not establish that the same effects occur among students in India.
When students use AI to generate answers instead of working through problems themselves, they may miss opportunities to practise writing, reasoning and problem-solving.
Working through mistakes and finding solutions independently are important parts of learning. If AI completes these tasks for students, they may struggle to demonstrate their understanding during exams or solve similar problems without technological assistance.
These concerns do not mean that AI should be kept out of classrooms. Research has also found that AI can support learning when used with clear guidance and alongside teachers.
AI tools can help teachers explain difficult concepts, adapt lessons to different learning needs and provide students with additional practice. AI-powered tutoring has also shown positive learning outcomes in studies conducted in several countries.
The difference lies in how the technology is used. AI can support learning when it helps students understand concepts, but it can become a problem when students depend on it to complete work without understanding the answers.
The growing use of AI is putting pressure on schools and colleges to reconsider how they assess students. Homework alone may not always show how well a student understands a topic if AI tools are used to generate answers.
Teachers may need to place greater emphasis on supervised classroom assignments, oral assessments, presentations and problem-solving exercises that allow students to demonstrate their understanding independently.
