Using AI to cheat on assignments is never acceptable. But are there ethical ways that students can use AI tools? Is there some benefit to teaching students how to engage with these tools responsibly? Should students be using it at all?
The answer to whether or not students should use AI for homework really depends on how it’s used. Like many tools, AI itself isn’t necessarily inherently good or bad.
Teachers, parents, advocates, and school administrators hold different opinions on students using AI in school. Many argue that it’s okay for students to use AI as a research tool to help them generate ideas and gather information for homework assignments. But AI tools should never be used to write academic papers or answer questions for graded assignments.
In this article, we’re going to look at where AI use in studies currently is, examples of AI tools, the benefits of AI for students, the risks of AI in education, and our approach to AI here at Summit Learning Charter.
Key Takeaways:
- Most students are already using AI for schoolwork, and that number is growing every year.
- How AI is used matters more than whether it’s used.
- Used responsibly, AI can support learning, improve accessibility, and build skills students will need after graduation.
- Used irresponsibly, it can undermine critical thinking, enable plagiarism, and get in the way of real learning.
- Students need guidance around AI, not just access to it.
Students Are Already Using AI for Homework
The most important question to ask isn’t really whether or not students should use AI, but how they should use AI. Using AI to search for information, for example, is very different from using it to write an essay without doing any critical thinking.
Saying students should never use AI altogether would be similar to saying they should never use the internet. In the world we live in, that’s not a realistic expectation. And the truth is, most students are already there.
According to a 2025 PEW Research Center survey of U.S. teens, just over half said they have used chatbots to help with their schoolwork. Fortunately, most seem to have a reasonable sense of where the line is, with 54% of teens say it’s acceptable to use ChatGPT to research topics, compared to just 18% who say it’s acceptable to use it to write essays. Use also tends to increase with age, with older high schoolers turning to these tools more than middle schoolers.
Still, 59% of teens believe cheating with AI has become a regular part of student life, which tells us that even students who are trying to use these tools responsibly are aware that not everyone around them is.
The takeaway here is that students are using AI and the tendency will be to use it increasingly more. That’s why guidance matters. The focus needs to be on making sure they are using it responsibly, in ways that support their learning.
Examples of AI Tools
There are many different variations of AI that could be used by students to complete homework assignments. Some are free and publicly accessible, while others operate as paid services.
The most common types of AI tools include:
- Chatbots: Generative chatbots can respond to questions that users type into chats within seconds, offering detailed explanations and summaries of topics by drawing from publicly available online information.
- Writing assistants: AI-powered writing assistants are designed to help human writers proofread, edit, and improve their writing; these tools identify issues like repetition, spelling errors, punctuation errors, and run-on sentences.
- Image generation: AI art-generation tools use complex algorithms to create detailed images, artwork, and patterns based on existing images.
- AI tutors: AI tutoring systems work by providing step-by-step instructions and practice problems, responding to questions, assessing learning progress, and offering comments and feedback.
Like most tools, AI isn’t inherently good or bad for students. What matters is how it’s used. Here’s an honest look at both sides.
Pros of Using AI for Homework
Let’s start on a positive note and take a look at some of the benefits of using AI for students.
1) It Can Improve Accessibility
Research has found that AI can offer helpful resources that make learning accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. Some examples include:
- Real-time closed captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing students
- Text-to-speech automations for students with visual impairments
- Speech-to-text automations for students with mobility concerns that make typing difficult or impossible
- Assistance technology for neurodivergent students or those with learning disabilities like dyslexia
Related: How Online School Supports & Empowers Special Needs Students
2) It Can Improve Efficiency
When used appropriately, AI may help students learn how to develop more efficient study habits. For example, students may use AI to help plan out study schedules, learn new methods for knowledge retention, and clarify certain concepts. But again, AI should only be used as a helpful tool, not as a replacement for study.
Read More: Best AI Tools for Online Learning & Increasing Productivity
3) It Can Be a Supplemental Tool for Research
Students using Wikipedia was once greatly debated among parents and teachers. Many teachers agreed that Wikipedia was a great place to start research, but not a reliable source to cite. That’s similar to where AI is now.
AI can help students get acquainted with a particular topic, they can benefit from asking AI to clarify information or explain a concept in a new way, and use it to brainstorm ideas. Like Wikipedia, it’s a good jumping-off point for further research but, like Wikipedia, it’s important to build the habit of double checking information since AI can and does produce inaccurate results.
4) It Can Teach Students To Engage Responsibly With AI
AI is likely here to stay, and it’s important that we all learn how to use it responsibly. Understanding AI, how it works, and how to use it may become a requirement for many jobs in the future. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 lists AI and big data skills as the fastest-growing workforce skills globally.
Teachers can use the classroom as an opportunity to teach students about the ethical and practical concerns of AI. This can help prepare students for an increasingly digital world.
Related: How Online Learning Prepares Students For Remote Work
Cons of Using AI for Homework
While there are definitely benefits to using AI when done correctly, there are also risks of AI in education.
1) It Can Encourage Cheating or Plagiarism
Unfortunately, some students will use AI to write essays or solve equations rather than turning in their own original work. Asking AI to do your homework for you can be tempting, especially if you’re on a tight deadline.
But trying to pass AI-created content as your own is never acceptable and is considered a form of plagiarism. AI should only be used (if at all) to supplement study and clarify background information, never to do your homework for you.
2) It Can Reduce Student Engagement
Over-reliance on AI may have detrimental effects on student motivation. Students may think of AI as a shortcut, rather than a tool. Using AI to generate ideas and perspectives may prevent students from engaging deeply with the topic and reaching their own unique conclusions.
3) It Can Provide Inaccurate Information
AI isn’t always accurate. In fact, there are many examples of AI chatbots providing incorrect, incomplete, or misleading answers. Because AI draws from existing online content, it’s prone to repeating errors and misinformation. When using AI for background research, you should always seek out reputable sources to verify information.
4) It Can Prevent Students From Learning Valuable Skills
One of the main benefits of homework is that it encourages independent study, which offers a number of educational benefits. Taking a proactive approach by tackling difficult assignments independently can teach essential skills, including:
- Problem-solving
- Research
- Analysis
- Critical thinking
AI’s detrimental effects on critical thinking skills is backed up by research. A 2025 study found that frequent use of AI tools showed a negative correlation with critical thinking abilities. When students let AI handle their thinking for them, independent reasoning becomes difficult over time.
Is Using AI for Homework Cheating?
One of the biggest concerns about the widespread availability of AI is that students will use it to cheat on homework assignments.
Cheating in school has always been a problem in K-12 education and in university settings. Cheating is bad for teachers. It makes their jobs harder and it undermines the important work they do. Most importantly, cheating is bad for students. It corrupts the learning process, encourages laziness, and leaves them without a thorough education.
To some extent, whether or not using AI is cheating is up to individual teachers. If a teacher tells their students not to use AI for homework, it’s always cheating to break this rule. But in some cases, teachers may even encourage students to utilize certain AI tools in order to teach them how to use these tools responsibly.
When in doubt, students should always ask their teachers for clarification. If a student isn’t sure whether using an AI tool crosses a line for a specific assignment, checking with their teacher first is the right move. That kind of honest communication is itself a good habit worth building.
What’s never acceptable, regardless of the assignment or the teacher, is for a student to use AI to do their thinking for them and present that work as their own. That’s true whether it’s an essay, a math problem, or a research project.
FAQs About Using AI for Homework
Is it ever okay for my student to use AI for schoolwork?
Yes, depending on the assignment and what their teacher has communicated. AI can be a helpful tool for research, brainstorming, and understanding difficult concepts. What’s never acceptable is using AI to do the thinking and presenting that work as your own. When in doubt, students should always check with their teacher first.
What happens if a student submits AI-generated work at Summit Learning Charter?
A student submitting AI-generated work as their own is considered plagiarism and falls under our academic integrity policy. If that happens we use it as a teaching moment. We want students to understand why their own thinking matters, not just that there are consequences for dishonesty.
Will using AI hurt my child’s ability to think independently?
Research suggests it can, if AI is used as a shortcut rather than a support. That’s exactly why we teach students how to engage with these tools critically and intentionally. The goal is for AI to supplement their thinking, not replace it.
My student has a learning difference. Are there AI tools that can support them?
Absolutely. AI-powered accessibility tools including text-to-speech, speech-to-text, real-time captioning, and adaptive learning supports can make a meaningful difference for students with disabilities or learning differences. Talk to your student’s teacher or Learning Coach about what tools might be a good fit.
Does Summit Learning Charter teach students how to use AI responsibly?
Yes. We offer an elective AI literacy course, and teachers across subjects provide guidance on appropriate AI use within their specific courses. We want students to graduate with the confidence and skills to navigate a world where these tools are everywhere.
How is Summit Learning Charter keeping up with how quickly AI is changing?
Like every school, we’re evolving. We’re actively rethinking how we design assessments, how we talk to students about integrity, and how we prepare them for a workforce where AI fluency is increasingly expected. It’s an ongoing conversation, and we think that’s exactly how it should be.
How Summit Learning Charter Approaches AI
As an accredited virtual K-12 school in Oregon, we understand that technology will continue to evolve and expand. We’ve been paying close attention to how AI is changing education, and we’ve been thoughtful about how we respond to it.
We have a formal AI policy that applies across the school, while recognizing that AI use looks different depending on the subject and the assignment. How AI is used, encouraged, or restricted is something each teacher defines clearly for their students. If your student is ever unsure what’s appropriate, their teacher is always the right person to ask.
We take academic integrity seriously and the most common violation we see is plagiarism. Submitting AI-generated work as your own falls under that policy. Our goal isn’t to catch students making poor choices, but instead to help them understand why integrity matters for their own growth and their future.
We’re also teaching students how to use AI responsibly, not just warning them away from it. Students have access to an elective AI literacy course, and teachers across subjects offer guidance on AI tools within the parameters of their specific courses. We’re also actively evolving how we design assessments to protect authentic thinking, because we believe students should bring their own ideas and reasoning to their work, something AI simply cannot replicate.
Ultimately, we see AI literacy as part of preparing students for life after graduation. Our goal is to help every Summit Learning Charter student develop the critical thinking skills and technological fluency to thrive in whatever path they choose.
Have questions about how AI fits into your student’s education at Summit Learning Charter? We’re always happy to talk. Reach out to your student’s teacher or contact us today to learn more.
