A survey by Central Square Foundation has found that 35% of school students in India who use edtech platforms are now using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools for learning, even as many misunderstand how the technology works.

The Bharat Survey for EdTech 2025, released on Wednesday, showed that nearly three-fourths of children who are aware of GenAI believe the tools function like internet search engines. The study was conducted between July 2025 and January 2026 across 12,500 households and 2,500 teachers in 10 states.

The findings indicated that adoption is particularly high among children from low-income households, with 96% reporting use of GenAI multiple times a week and 69% using it daily.

Despite widespread use, understanding remains limited. While 85% of GenAI-aware children said they understood how the technology works, 72% equated it with search applications, blurring the distinction between AI-generated responses and verified online information. About 46% of respondents identified incorrect information as a key risk linked to edtech and GenAI use, along with concerns about overuse.

Students reported using GenAI mainly for academic purposes, including doubt-solving and practice (73%), learning new skills or language translation (48%), and test preparation (32%). The survey found that easy-to-understand explanations (45%), quick responses (41%), and interactive formats (40%) were the main reasons for its appeal, particularly in households with limited academic support.

The organisation said the findings highlight the need to improve AI literacy among students and move beyond measuring access and adoption towards strengthening understanding of how AI tools operate.

Inputs from Times Of India

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