Report · AI & Tech

A plurality of Americans say AI weakens students' deep thinking

Reading

Americans' most common read on AI in the classroom is a wary one: 23% say it reduces students' deep thinking, ahead of any other view, according to an August 2025 Verasight survey.

Another 18% say AI's impact is still unclear, and 16% see it adding convenience without real depth; the rest divide among smaller camps, with 14% each calling it a study aid or saying it promotes dependency, and 8% each pointing to tech overuse or personalized learning.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

A plurality of Americans say AI weakens students' deep thinking.

Which of the following best describes how you think AI impacts student learning?

  • Reduces deep thinking 22.7%
  • Impact is still unclear 17.7%
  • Adds convenience, not depth 15.6%
  • Acts as a study aid 14.2%
  • Promotes dependancy 14.1%
  • Encourages tech overuse 8.0%
  • Personalizes learning 7.7%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.1%

Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey

View source

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-08-13 → 2025-08-18
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.1%
Module
Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey

Source

Citation

Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey, fielded August 13-18, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-2025

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.