LIST OF ACRONYMS 6

FIGURES 7

BOXES 8

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10

INTRODUCTION 16

This report: Its purpose and main message 17

Foundational premises of this report 21

Our methods: A premortem on AI and children’s education 22

What is generative AI? 24

CONTEXT: Students are increasingly accessing AI outside of school, and families continue to be on the front lines 27

Widespread AI use by children and youth 28

The blurred lines of children’s AI use 29

Families on the front lines 31

POTENTIAL OUTCOME 1: AI can enrich learning if well-designed and anchored in sound pedagogy 33

Benefit 1: AI can improve equity by addressing educational resource gaps and expanding access to education 34

Benefit 2: AI can optimize teacher time for greater focus on students 38

Benefit 3: AI can improve student learning 41

Benefit 4: AI can tailor learning to each student’s needs 44

Benefit 5: AI can extend learning to neurodivergent students and students with disabilities 47

Benefit 6: AI can advance assessment 50

POTENTIAL OUTCOME 2: AI can diminish learning if overused with no guardrails 53

Risk 1: AI can undermine students’ cognitive development 55

Risk 2: AI can impede students’ social and emotional development 69

Risk 3: AI can degrade trust in education 83

Risk 4: AI can threaten students’ safety 88

Risk 5: AI dependence can erode students’ autonomy and agency 104

Risk 6: AI can deepen equity divides 110

RISKS VERSUS BENEFITS: Currently, AI’s risks overshadow its benefits 119

AI’s benefits are numerous 119

But today, these benefits are overshadowed by risks 120

Advancing AI learning experiences that enrich, not diminish 120

Drivers of AI risks 123

The time to act is now 123

IT’S NOT TOO LATE: Recommendations for mitigating risks and harnessing benefits 124

We all have a role to play 127

Prosper 128

Prepare 142

Protect 151

Conclusion: Navigating the crossroads 163

ENDNOTES 165

REFERENCES 166

ANNEX A: Example AI literacy frameworks 203

ANNEX B: Acknowledgements 210

ANNEX C: Research methods 216