Overview
- The Center for Digital Thriving report, published Wednesday, September 30, 2026, says a fixation on policing generative AI has created 'two-way suspicion' that weakens classroom relationships.
- Surveys cited in the report found 74% of teachers and 69% of principals described AI dilemmas centered on cheating, and fewer than one in five teachers work at schools with specific generative-AI policies.
- Interviews with teens showed students often hide AI use, turn to chatbots instead of asking teachers, and sometimes deliberately underperform to avoid false accusations of cheating.
- Authors recommend trust-centered approaches such as open classroom conversations, AI literacy lessons, and involving students and teachers in policy design rather than relying on punitive bans.
- Researchers warn that distrust-framed rules can drive both harmful and helpful AI uses out of view, which can make learning needs invisible to educators and complicate efforts to guide safe, productive use.