Nearly three-quarters of children who use artificial intelligence for schoolwork admit to passing off AI-generated work as their own, according to new research.
The study, conducted in the UK, highlights growing concerns about how pupils are using AI tools, as well as a lack of education around how to use the technology responsibly.
Around 73% of pupils surveyed failed to acknowledge AI's role in their work, while just 28% said they had received a structured lesson at school on how to use the technology properly.
The research also raises questions about the impact AI could have on children's independent learning skills.
Some 44% of teachers said they were not confident that most of their pupils could write a full essay from scratch without using AI.
Meanwhile, 58% of British pupils who use AI for schoolwork admitted handing in AI-generated work as their own at least once a week. This was the highest proportion among the six European countries included in the study.
Parents are also aware of the issue, with 64% saying their child had submitted AI-generated work while claiming to have written it themselves.
Teachers appear equally concerned, with 94% saying they were aware of pupils passing off AI-generated work as their own. Around two-thirds (66%) said it happens at least once a week.
The findings raise questions about whether schools are keeping up with the rapid growth of AI, particularly when it comes to teaching children how to use the technology without relying on it to do their work for them.
