PISA study links lower reading scores to social media and AI use

In short: A new global education survey finds student reading scores have dropped since 2018, and it points to heavy social media use and some AI use as likely distractions.

What's going on

The OECD, a group of mostly rich countries, has released the latest results from PISA, a major test that compares how 15-year-olds perform in reading, maths, and science. The report says the average student across the OECD in 2025 is more than a year behind where students were in 2018.

The drop is clear in the numbers. Reading scores across the OECD fell by 25 points and maths fell by 22 points since 2018. PISA says that about 20 points is roughly equal to one year of learning, so this is a meaningful slide.

The report suggests that “digital distraction” is part of the problem. It links the decline to the popularity of short videos on apps like TikTok and Instagram, which can encourage fast skimming instead of slow, careful reading (like tasting food quickly instead of sitting down for a full meal). Andreas Schleicher, the OECD’s education director, said the connection between passive tech use and lower scores was “compelling,” but the study does not prove that one directly causes the other.

The survey also looks at AI use. Students who used AI almost every day did worse on some tasks, like summarising or drafting text, compared with students who almost never used it. The report notes the effect was less harmful when students used AI to help them learn, rather than to avoid effort.

What to watch

More schools may move to limit smartphone use during the school day to help students focus. The OECD also argues for using AI in a more structured way, such as tools that ask students questions and guide them step by step, instead of doing the work for them.

Source: Financial Times