Why ban AI from schools?
Since LLMs (Large Language Models) exploded in popularity in 2023, "AI" has become a multi-billion dollar industry, making up most of the stock market growth in 20251, despite doubts about its usefulness2.
AI companies like SchoolAI have secured millions in funding and are aggressively targeting teachers and schools in North America. As of 2025, around 80% of educators3 say they use AI in the classroom in some form.
The hype around AI, and millions of dollars in advertising mean that the negative effects of AI on children have been ignored.
AI is Bad for Learning
AI-use is correlated with worse learning outcomes4 5, poorer critical thinking6, and makes users unable to accurately judge their own performance7.
Students that use AI perform worse than those that never used it8, once the AI crutch is taken away. AI chatbots agree with the user even if the user is factually incorrect.9
The majority of students use it to solve problems for them, rather than learn from it10.
AI is Bad for Children's Mental Health
By using chatbots in the classroom, children begin to form social bonds with technology, rather than each other and caregivers.
By the time they are teens, most are regular users11, using it for advice11 despite it being less satisfying.
Chatbots have encouraged children to commit suicide12 and talked to young children about sexual topics13.
In adults "chatbot psychosis"14, caused by prolonged interaction with chatbots, has affected many15 and has prompted a class-action lawsuit16.