In a time of extreme fragmentation, the majority of Americans, regardless of political affiliation, agree on one thing, according to survey data from The Century Foundation: They want stronger governmental regulation on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology in K-12 schools.
From a sample of more than 2,000 registered voters across the country, at least 80 percent agreed that they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about several issues related to AI and technology. Specifically, 85 percent found issue with students using AI to complete assignments without actually learning the material; 84 percent worry about private companies collecting and profiting from student data; 81 percent were worried about teachers being pressured to use AI tools without proven pedagogic benefits; and 80 percent said schools were not doing enough to prepare students for a world rapidly changing due to AI.
Asked if teachers should manage classroom technology use on their own or if the government should establish guardrails, 77 percent said the latter, including 80 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats. According to the report, nearly half of all respondents said in-class AI and technology use should be kept to a minimum while 28 percent said schools and teachers should embrace technology and AI that is proven to boost learning — but with rules and standards around its usage.
Researchers emphasized that many school-issued devices now come with AI assistants preinstalled.
“A wave of new technology has swept into America’s classrooms at extraordinary speed and our nation’s rules have not kept up,” the report states. “Roughly four in five voters (81 percent) say academic performance — students not learning to read, write, or do math at grade level — is a problem in K–12 schools, with nearly half (47 percent) calling it a major problem. School safety comes next at 80 percent (46 percent major problem), followed by student mental health at 79 percent and school underfunding at 75 percent. Technology and screens — an issue that a decade ago would barely have appeared on such a list — now sits alongside these longstanding concerns at 73 percent.”
In addition to expressing concerns about AI in education, 86 percent of respondents said they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the impact of social media, and 81 percent said the same of students using cellphones in class.
Additional findings include:
- Capping class sizes so teachers can provide more personalized attention was supported by 83 percent of respondents
- Nearly 80 percent supported increasing teacher pay to reduce turnover and improve morale
- Providing free or subsidized school meals to all students and free or subsidized before- and after-school programs were both supported by 77 percent of respondents
Support largely held across demographic and party lines, according to the report.
