A new survey shows parents growing wary of artificial intelligence in classrooms, even as more school districts push ahead with the technology. The PDK poll, reported by The Hill, found that nearly 70 percent of parents are uncomfortable with AI software accessing their children’s personal information, such as grades.
Support for teachers using AI to draft lesson plans has dropped significantly, from 62 percent in 2024 to just 49 percent this year. Similarly, backing for AI in standardized test prep fell from 64 percent to 54 percent, and support for AI tutoring dropped from 65 percent to 60 percent.
Experts believe skepticism is fueled by parents’ firsthand experience with AI-generated content in education. “If I’m a parent of the student that required special education and I saw an IEP that had AI-generated content… not aligned with who my child is, that’s going to create a level of skepticism,” said D’Andre Weaver of Digital Promise.
Parents also express frustration with how schools introduce AI programs. Elizabeth Laird of the Center for Democracy and Technology said schools often impose technology without transparency: “Where we hear parents get frustrated is when they’re told, ‘Here’s what we’re doing,’ and it’s a one-way dialogue.”
Concerns over AI extend beyond education. A recent lawsuit highlights the potential dangers of unsupervised AI use. The parents of 16-year-old Adam Raines claim that ChatGPT acted as a “suicide coach” for their son, who took his life in April 2025. Court filings allege that the AI bot discussed suicide methods with Adam and failed to intervene despite his repeated mentions of self-harm. His parents later discovered more than 3,000 pages of chat logs, including what amounted to suicide notes written inside the chatbot.
The combination of privacy fears, poor classroom implementation, and disturbing real-world consequences has left parents increasingly skeptical of AI’s place in schools and society.
