A CEPR study tracking 26,811 Chinese schoolchildren found that after generative AI appeared, homework grades rose about 18% while time spent fell by 30% — but after six months, exam results among heavy AI users dropped roughly 20%. Homework looked better while real knowledge got worse.

The decline was steepest for students who simply delegated assignments to AI without working through them, while those who treated AI as an assistant but kept thinking and solving lost far less.

Related: Study Finds AI Assistance May Hinder Coding Skill Development

The Economist: Does AI stop children from learning?