Large number of Chinese students using AI tools, nationwide survey finds

More than 60 percent of primary and secondary school students in China have used artificial intelligence, and nearly one in five do so regularly, according to a recently released nationwide survey.

The survey, conducted by the China Youth and Children Research Center from June to August last year, covered more than 8,500 students from seven regions in China, including Beijing as well as Guangdong and Henan provinces.

Among the respondents, 71 percent said they use AI to complete homework — for example, by searching for information or generating ideas. More than 40 percent use AI for learning about culture and for creative purposes such as drawing, writing poetry or designing posters. Over 35 percent chat with AI or share their feelings with it, while about 32 percent use AI for entertainment.

The findings came as Chinese authorities moved to integrate AI into basic education. In 2025, the Ministry of Education issued two guidelines promoting the scientific and regulated use of AI in kindergartens and primary and secondary schools.

The guidelines established a tiered approach: Primary school students are not allowed to independently use open-ended generative AI tools for completing assignments; middle school students may explore AI-generated content; and high school students can engage in inquiry-based learning involving AI's technical principles.

Earlier this month, the ministry further announced plans to push AI into school curricula, daily teaching and assessment systems.

Sun Hongyan, a researcher at the center who led the team conducting the survey, said the rapid penetration of AI among young people — even reaching lower primary grades and rural students — exceeded her expectations. "Just a few years ago, less than 20 percent of students had used AI," she recalled.

The survey found that rural students were more likely to use AI for homework completion and even for ghostwriting assignments, but less likely to use it for creative or innovative purposes.

"Rural students lack proper guidance from parents, and the absence of parental company makes them more prone to overusing their phones and becoming dependent on AI," Sun said. She also noted that rural teachers have relatively lower AI literacy and less capacity to integrate AI into instruction.

If left unaddressed, Sun warned, AI could become an "amplifier" of the urban-rural education gap. However, with professional guidance, AI could instead act as a "booster" to narrow the gap — by bringing quality educational resources, personalized tutoring and creative inspiration to rural students who otherwise lack access, she said.

The survey also found that 20.5 percent of students said they want to rely on AI for thinking rather than using their own minds, a figure that rose to 22.8 percent among rural students. Meanwhile, 46.4 percent said they would rather talk to AI than to real people when feeling upset, and 21 percent reported experiencing anxiety from excessive AI use.

Parents and teachers should pay close attention to use of AI by minors and guide them in both time and purpose, Sun said, adding that families and schools need to set age-appropriate rules.

Ning Dan, headmaster of Miaoxi Primary School, a rural school in Hengyang, Hunan province, said that most of his students use AI to search for answers to difficult homework problems, to look up things they are curious about, and to chat, make videos and play games. Many of them use their grandparents' phones to access AI tools, as their parents are away working in cities.

Ning said he is surprised about the prevalence of AI among his students, and worries about them getting addicted to it, since their parents are not around to supervise them.

"I worry that they will stop thinking for themselves after using AI," Ning said. To address this, his school has introduced class meetings to guide students on appropriate AI use, and strengthened communication with parents. In teaching, he encourages students to review and reflect on difficult problems rather than simply copying AI-generated answers.

To counter overdependence, Sun of the China Youth and Children Research Center suggested practical strategies such as requiring students to mark AI-assisted steps in their homework and setting up "AI-free study time" at home or school. She also called for more real-world interaction — including family activities, group learning and social skills training — to help students find meaning and warmth in human relationships.