Survey finds nearly half of English youth trust AI over humans

A survey of more than 4,000 young people in England has found that nearly 87 per cent already use artificial intelligence tools and 47 per cent would trust AI over a human for fact-checking, while fewer than 10 per cent believe their schools or universities are adequately preparing them for a future alongside the technology. The Public First polling, carried out last month and published alongside a report co-authored by historian Sir Anthony Seldon and tech entrepreneur Tim Bunting, paints a picture of rapid adoption outpacing institutional readiness. Among respondents, 63 per cent of secondary school pupils said they use AI tools for homework and 77 per cent rely on them to understand topics they are stuck on. A further 42 per cent said AI has made school education less important, and young men were found to be even more likely to trust an AI tool over a person. The report argues that England's education system is trying to teach for an "AI-less world that no longer exists," warning that the legitimacy of the education system is at risk while schools and universities behave as if AI were a temporary contaminant to be fenced off.