Teenagers are divided over AI in schoolwork, Oxford University Press study finds
An Oxford University Press study of nearly 4,000 UK teenagers finds they are divided over AI in schoolwork, and most still value their teachers.
Photo by Katerina Holmes on Pexels
Teenagers are unsure where the line falls on AI in schoolwork, according to research that Oxford University Press (OUP) published on June 9, 2026. Its report, “Navigating AI in Education,” surveyed nearly 4,000 pupils aged 13 to 18 across the UK and found no settled view on what counts as acceptable use. Just 44% think it is cheating to use AI to complete all of their homework, yet almost one in five think it is cheating even to ask an AI tool for homework tips. Only 15% said they have been given enough guidance.
The study is a follow-up to OUP’s 2025 report “Teaching the AI-Native Generation,” one of the first UK studies to ask young people directly about AI in their education. The new findings, drawn from a survey and qualitative classroom exercises, describe students who use AI cautiously and still lean on their teachers.
How teenagers use AI in schoolwork
The picture is not one of wholesale dependence on AI in schoolwork. Only 24% of pupils regularly seek out AI tools for homework, OUP reports. One in three (34%) use AI only when a teacher suggests it, against 13% who are swayed by friends. In a classroom exercise, pupils given the option to use a generative AI tool mostly declined: 72% of those with access chose not to use it, while among those without access, 23% said they would have liked the option.
| Finding | Share of teenagers |
|---|---|
| Think using AI for all homework is cheating | 44% |
| Think asking AI for homework tips is cheating | almost 1 in 5 |
| Say they have had enough guidance on AI | 15% |
| Want teachers to use AI to support lessons | 77% |
| Name a teacher skill AI cannot replace | 73% |
| Regularly seek out AI tools for homework | 24% |
| More excited than worried about AI in education | 39% |
Source: Oxford University Press, “Navigating AI in Education” (June 9, 2026).
On balance, sentiment leans positive but mixed: 39% said they are more excited than worried about AI’s effect on their education, 16% more worried, and 30% neither.
What students say helps them learn
Asked what helps them learn when using AI, pupils favored tools that prompt their own thinking over tools that hand over answers. The most popular choice, at 44%, was AI that suggests tasks to help them understand a subject better; 41% preferred AI that asks questions to guide them toward an answer; only about one in five wanted the tool to give the answer straight away.
Teachers stay central
Across the findings, pupils kept a place for their teachers. More than three-quarters (77%) said they would like teachers to use AI to support lessons, naming uses such as making complex material easier to understand and planning lessons. At the same time, 73% pointed to a skill their teacher has that AI can never replace, citing approachability, empathy and human understanding. Dr. Alexandra Tomescu, OUP’s Head of Product AI, said it was “reassuring to see young people’s sophisticated attitude towards AI.”
That balance lines up with positions Winss Solutions has set out before: that human judgement should stay in control of assessment, as argued in why AI should not grade students’ work, and that classroom use needs guardrails, as covered in 15 best practices for using AI in the classroom. The guidance gap the report flags, with only 15% of pupils feeling well supported, is the practical problem schools now face.
Background: studying the AI-native generation
Oxford University Press, the publishing arm of the University of Oxford, traces its printing back to 1586 and is one of the largest university presses in the world, producing dictionaries, academic titles and school resources used internationally. Its education division has tracked AI’s arrival in classrooms through direct research with pupils and teachers, beginning with the 2025 study “Teaching the AI-Native Generation.” The concern that AI can lift output while weakening learning is not unique to OUP; Winss Solutions has reported the OECD’s warning that AI can raise grades while harming learning. With “Navigating AI in Education,” OUP argues that pupils are ready to use AI thoughtfully but need clearer guidance and teachers who are equipped to direct it.
Sources: Oxford University Press; “Navigating AI in Education” report (OUP)
Featured image: photo by Katerina Holmes on Pexels (free Pexels license).
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I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
