The Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution has released a new global research report warning about the current use of generative language. artificial intelligence in education student It is at risk and the harm now outweighs the benefit.
The report is A new direction for students in the world of AI: Thrive, prepare, protect.is based on a year-long “pre-mortem” study designed to predict risks before they are incorporated into the education system. The authors argue that whether AI enhances or erodes learning will depend on decisions made now.
“At this point in its trajectory, the risks of using AI in child education are overshadowing its benefits,” the authors write.
The study was led by the Brookings Institution’s Center on Universal Education, a policy center focused on global education systems and skills development. The study is designed to identify potential points of failure early, rather than evaluating AI after it has been widely deployed.
The authors conducted interviews, focus groups, and consultations with 505 students, teachers, parents, educational leaders, and technicians from 50 countries. The study also included a review of more than 400 academic and policy studies, along with a Delphi panel of 21 experts.
Brookings describes this effort as a “pre-emptive analysis” aimed at surfacing risks before they become systemic. According to the report, feedback tends to be negative overall, with 56 percent of responses highlighting harms, while 44 percent cited benefits.
Basic learning is where risk first appears
This report distinguishes between two paths: AI-enhanced learning and AI-powered learning.
Well-designed tools are used as part of a pedagogically sound approach to support learning. But Brookings has found that overreliance on generative AI is already impacting students’ ability to learn independently, build relationships, and develop social and emotional skills.
“These risks undermine children’s fundamental development,” the authors write, noting that weakening trust between students and teachers can prevent potential benefits from being realized.
The report emphasizes that the nature of risk is different from the nature of benefit. Benefits tend to be additive or complementary, whereas risks can disrupt the conditions necessary for learning to occur.
Brookings Recommendations to Thrive, Prepare and Protect Your Frame
To address these challenges, Brookings proposes three pillars of action: Thrive, Prepare, and Protect. This framework is aimed at governments, education systems, households, and technology companies.
Prosper focuses on how AI is used within learning environments. The report calls for AI tools that support practice, feedback, and exploration, rather than replacing thinking. It emphasizes that AI should “teach, not teach” and be deployed as part of intentional educational design, not as a shortcut.
We will mainly prepare the system. Brookings emphasizes the need for professional learning for educators, AI literacy for students, and long-term planning. The report argues that without preparation, AI adoption will continue to be uneven, reactive, and misaligned with learning objectives.
Protection addresses safeguards. This pillar focuses on student safety, privacy, mental health, and cognitive development. The authors call for ethical AI design, stronger governance, and a clearer role for adults to guide the use of AI.
Across all three pillars, the report urges action within defined time frames. “We urge all involved parties to identify at least one recommendation for moving forward over the next three years,” the authors wrote.
Brookings is clear that the trajectory of AI in education is not fixed. The report argues that AI has the potential to enrich or weaken learning depending on current choices.
“The actions we take now, or the actions we don’t take, will determine whether AI becomes education’s greatest asset to student learning and well-being or its greatest threat to student growth,” the authors write.
