Almost half of young people in England trust AI over humans for fact-checking
Nearly half of young people surveyed in England say they would trust artificial intelligence over a human to check whether information is accurate, raising concerns about the education system's ability to adapt to AI.
Almost half of young people in England trust artificial intelligence more than a human when checking whether a fact is accurate, according to a new report on AI and education.
A Public First survey of more than 4,000 people aged between 11 and 24 found that nearly 87 per cent had used an AI tool, while young men were particularly likely to favour AI over people for fact-checking.
The findings are included in a report by historian Sir Anthony Seldon and technology entrepreneur Tim Bunting, which warns that England's education system is failing to keep pace with how quickly young people are adopting AI.
The report argues that schools and universities risk losing their perceived value if they do not adapt to a world where AI tools are increasingly used for research, information and learning.
It said: "Education has not kept pace with how - and how much - young people are already using AI, and that gap is starting to show up as a loss of perceived value in the institution itself."
The report found that fewer than one in 10 young people believe schools and universities are preparing them adequately for a world shaped by AI.
The authors warned that the legitimacy of the education system could be at risk if institutions continue to treat AI primarily as something to be restricted rather than incorporated into teaching.
They said schools and universities could increasingly appear to students as "a protective fiction" rather than preparation for further education and employment.
The report calls for the government to introduce a 10-point plan for AI in education.
Its proposals include establishing a rapid-response AI unit within the Department for Education and creating a network of 100 "AI champion schools and colleges".
Sir Anthony described education as the UK's "Cinderella sector when it comes to technology" and said ministers should act before every uncertainty surrounding AI has been resolved.
He said: "Britain has the assets to lead the world on AI in education - what it has lacked is the urgency and the leadership."
The findings come as schools and universities continue to debate how AI should be used by students, including questions around plagiarism, assessment and critical thinking.
The report suggests that the growing willingness of young people to rely on AI for information could make those questions more urgent, particularly if educational institutions do not teach students how to assess AI-generated claims and recognise when they may be inaccurate.
