How Students Are Using AI in the Classroom

The rise of artificial intelligence in education isn’t coming—it’s already here. In fact, recent polls reveal that nearly half (48%) of K-12 students use AI tools like ChatGPT at least once a week. Whether they’re turning to AI for essay assignments, exams, or to deepen their learning, students are embracing this technology in their academic lives.

This presents an incredible opportunity for educators to step in and guide students on using artificial intelligence ethically and effectively, helping them unlock its full potential. Keep reading to explore how students are engaging with AI today—and discover how you can prepare them for a future where AI literacy is a must-have skill.

How Are Students Using AI in Today's Classrooms?

As students familiarize themselves with these systems, they are uncovering innovative ways to seamlessly integrate AI into their daily routines. From organizing study schedules to honing foreign language skills through conversational practice, AI tools are transforming nearly every facet of K-12 academics.

Here are some ways students are using AI at school: 

Study Organization

AI tools transform how students plan, organize, and connect their learning materials. 

• Schedule Creation: AI-powered tools help students develop personalized study plans and coursework schedules. These systems automatically prioritize due dates and analyze productivity patterns to suggest optimal study times.
• Note Organization: AI-powered tools help students structure their class notes into easily digestible insights, making studying more efficient and effective.
• Topic Connections: Students use chatbots like ChatGPT  to ask questions and explore connections between subjects and concepts, deepening their understanding across disciplines. 

Writing and Editing

From brainstorming fresh ideas to refining their final drafts, students use AI writing tools to elevate and enhance their writing process, fostering creativity and growth along the way. These tools can serve as powerful allies in helping students develop their skills and confidence.

• Draft Creation: Students use AI to generate outlines, draft paragraphs, and assist with research for final drafts. Teachers can encourage active engagement by requiring personal reflections, in-class writing, or multiple drafts with documented revisions.
• Revision Support: AI tools analyze drafts to suggest improvements in grammar, clarity, and style, while also helping students learn grammar conventions along the way.
• Citation Help: AI chatbots can generate citation examples and automatically create accurate citations when provided with key details like author name, publication date, and other required information.

Research and Analysis 

Students are also using AI to get answers faster and analyze data more efficiently. 

• Source Identification: Students are increasingly using AI to identify references and sources for their academic papers. However, many AI tools, like ChatGPT, can struggle with accuracy, sometimes generating fabricated scientific articles or books. This underscores the importance of teaching digital literacy skills, such as verifying sources, to ensure students use reliable and credible information. 
• Content Summary: AI tools help students break down complex academic texts or lecture recordings into clear, concise summaries, making it easier to grasp key points.
• Data Interpretation: AI helps students understand research findings and statistics by quickly analyzing and interpreting text-based data and tables, making complex information more accessible.

Math and Problem-Solving 

AI is offering students personalized support, from mastering basic arithmetic to tackling advanced subjects, helping them learn at their own pace.

• Step-by-Step Solutions: Students can present problems to AI chatbots and receive detailed, step-by-step explanations. These tools not only provide answers but also help students understand the process, ensuring they grasp the underlying principles behind the solution.
• Formula Application: AI tools assist students in solving complex algebra and calculus equations while providing clear guidance to help them understand how formulas apply to specific problems.

Creative Projects 

In many classrooms, students are exploring AI tools to assist with basic creative tasks. For example, 31% of young generative AI users (ages 14–22) report using AI to generate images or designs. While AI’s creative capabilities are still evolving, they are most effective for early-stage brainstorming and generating simple creative elements.

• Design Support: Many creative tools allow students to generate shapes and elaborate designs based on text prompts. Students can use these as templates for their own work, or as visual aids during presentations. 
• Music Composition:  AI music composition apps provide a valuable starting point for students to explore music creation, offering insights into music theory and helping them experiment with melodies and arrangements. While the results may lack originality, these tools can spark creativity, build foundational skills, and inspire students to develop their unique musical voice.
• Video Scripting: Students can use AI-powered editing tools to quickly plan, script, and refine videos, streamlining the creative process and enhancing their storytelling skills.

Technical Skills

AI is empowering students to expand their knowledge and skills in technical fields like programming.

• Code Debugging: Students use AI tools to identify and correct errors in their programming projects.
• Algorithm Explanation: AI provides clear guidance to help students grasp complex coding concepts and algorithms.
• Project Planning: AI and chatbots can assist students by breaking down challenging tasks into manageable steps, offering a clear starting point and path forward.

The Future of AI Use in Schools

Modern AI tools are advancing rapidly, with their best use currently in focused, guided processes. While these models sometimes rely heavily on their training data and may struggle with entirely new questions, they are already showing significant promise in key educational use cases. As these platforms continue to evolve, they have the potential to transform the way students learn across various domains.

Here are just a few of the wide range of use cases for AI in education:

Personalized Academic Support

With 45% of schools reporting staffing shortages in recent years, ensuring every student receives the personalized attention they need has become increasingly challenging. AI presents an opportunity to help bridge this gap. When integrated with traditional teaching methods, AI can support educators by providing individualized assistance to students, enabling tailored learning experiences and helping them thrive academically.

Peer Learning Networks

AI platforms can transform collaborative learning by connecting students with complementary strengths and learning styles. By forming tailored study groups or partnerships, these tools encourage meaningful collaboration, allowing students to learn from one another’s unique perspectives. This approach not only enhances understanding but also fosters teamwork and communication.

AI Science Labs

Virtual laboratories powered by AI offer students the opportunity to conduct complex experiments in a safe, controlled environment. These tools can guide students step-by-step through experiments, assist with research, and provide real-time progress reports, enhancing their understanding and engagement with scientific concepts.

Evolution of Assessment 

The future of testing is shifting away from rote memorization and toward more authentic evaluations of skills, a transition that AI can help bring to life. AI tools enable schools to track how students apply their knowledge to solve complex, real-world challenges while providing continuous insights into their progress. This approach supports a deeper understanding of student growth and prepares them for success beyond the classroom.

Refining the School's Role in Using AI in Classrooms

Schools should prioritize developing transparent policies that address academic integrity, appropriate AI use, and content generation. To ensure these guidelines are both sustainable and practical, administrators should begin by collecting feedback from teachers, students, and parents about their concerns and expectations regarding AI in education.

Here are the key areas schools should survey before implementing AI policies:

1. Assessing the Need for Policy Updates

To identify where new policies are most needed, start by surveying teachers about the challenges they encounter with AI in assignments. Engage with students to learn about their experiences and concerns when using AI tools, and connect with parents to understand their perspectives and expectations. This comprehensive feedback will help shape policies that address the needs of the entire school community.

2. Gauging Digital Literacy Needs

Measuring the varying levels of AI literacy among students and teachers is essential for creating effective policies. A recent study found that 58% of teachers have received no formal training on AI, highlighting a significant gap. Surveys can help assess how familiar students and teachers are with AI tools, identify areas where additional support or training is needed, and gauge teachers' comfort levels with integrating AI into their work.

3. Gathering Input on Acceptable Use Guidelines

Survey students and parents about scenarios where AI use is considered acceptable, and gather feedback from teachers on the clarity and enforceability of current AI policies. These perspectives are essential for shaping guidelines that thoughtfully integrate AI, balancing the technology’s benefits with the need to maintain educational integrity and value.

4. Monitoring Policy Effectiveness

Ongoing surveys are essential for evaluating the success of AI implementation efforts and pinpointing areas where additional support or policy adjustments may be required. This continuous feedback ensures that policies remain effective and responsive to the needs of the school community.

Join us at AIM FOR IMPACT, a Panorama summit for school and district leaders who want to harness the power of AI and build future-ready schools to prepare students for tomorrow. 

Panorama Solara: Equipping Educators With AI to Support Student Success

As students increasingly use AI to enhance their learning, educators have a critical role to play in guiding its ethical and effective use. By fostering digital literacy, setting clear policies, and modeling responsible AI practices, schools can ensure students unlock the full potential of this transformative technology.

To support this effort, tools like Panorama Solara empower educators to embrace AI in their own work—streamlining processes like intervention planning and family communication—so they can focus on what matters most: helping students succeed. 

With its secure, customizable platform, Panorama Solara equips educators to lead by example, ensuring that both teachers and students are prepared to thrive in an AI-powered world. When educators embrace AI as a tool for progress, they create a foundation for students to do the same—unlocking limitless possibilities for the future of learning.

Watch an On-Demand Demo of Panorama Solara