{"id":50315,"topic":"ai","source":"WBKO","title":"AI in the classroom: What it means for your child’s brain development - WBKO","url":"https://www.wbko.com/2026/07/31/ai-classroom-what-it-means-your-childs-brain-development/","url_hash":"5aaf077cf6f6f087a16314d55c78d5a6dde2bcd1","author":"","summary":"AI in the classroom: What it means for your child’s brain development WBKO","content":"BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - Artificial intelligence is already in your child’s classroom, and studies show most kids are using it.\nResearch shows the majority of teenagers have interacted with AI at least once, and more than half use it routinely. Teachers also use AI to develop lesson plans, create content, and build individualized tutoring tools.\nBut Norton Children’s child and adolescent psychologist, Katy Hopkins, said the real concern is what happens when AI does the work for kids — instead of with them.\n“The biggest concern that is shared by parents, educators, psychologists, researchers is that AI can quietly do the mental work that a child or adolescent’s brain still needs to practice,” Hopkins said.\nWhat the research shows\nPreliminary studies show students who rely on AI to find information have weaker brain connectivity and neural pathways than those using traditional search engines or no tools at all.\nHopkins said the key question is whether AI is doing the thinking for a student or building on the student’s own ideas.\n“Our brains are built in adolescence based on the ways that we think the most, feel the most, and do the most,” Hopkins said. “If teenagers aren’t learning how to do that now, they’re going to become adults that can’t do it.”\nWhere AI can help\nHopkins said AI is not without benefits. For students with neurodevelopmental differences, learning disorders, or disabilities, it can serve as a powerful equalizer.\n“Where the strongest evidence lies is around personalized tutoring,” Hopkins said. “AI can help students learn more in less time and stay more engaged in that kind of standard classroom setting.”\nWhat parents can do\nHopkins said completely restricting AI is not realistic.\n“We’ve already lost the battle around restricting 100% access, but we have an opportunity to make sure that the tool aided in their learning,” she said.\nHopkins recommends setting boundaries — such as requiring a student’s first draft to be their own work, or limiting AI in math to checking answers the way a tutor would. She also recommends parents sit with their kids while they use AI tools and keep that conversation open rather than hidden.\nHopkins said real frustration while learning is a good sign — it means the work is appropriately challenging.\nCopyright 2026 WBKO. 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(WBKO) - Artificial intelligence is already in your child’s classroom, and studies show most kids are using it.\nResearch shows the majority of teenagers have interacted with AI at least once, and more than half use it routinely. Teachers also use AI to develop lesson plans, create content, and build individualized tutoring tools.\nBut Norton Children’s child and adolescent psychologist, Katy Hopkins, said the real concern is what happens when AI does the work for kids — instead of with them.\n“The biggest concern that is shared by parents, educators, psychologists, researchers is that AI can quietly do the mental work that a child or adolescent’s brain still needs to practice,” Hopkins said.\nWhat the research shows\nPreliminary studies show students who rely on AI to find information have weaker brain connectivity and neural pathways than those using traditional search engines or no tools at all.\nHopkins said the key question is whether AI is doing the thinking for a student or building on the student’s own ideas.\n“Our brains are built in adolescence based on the ways that we think the most, feel the most, and do the most,” Hopkins said. “If teenagers aren’t learning how to do that now, they’re going to become adults that can’t do it.”\nWhere AI can help\nHopkins said AI is not without benefits. For students with neurodevelopmental differences, learning disorders, or disabilities, it can serve as a powerful equalizer.\n“Where the strongest evidence lies is around personalized tutoring,” Hopkins said. “AI can help students learn more in less time and stay more engaged in that kind of standard classroom setting.”\nWhat parents can do\nHopkins said completely restricting AI is not realistic.\n“We’ve already lost the battle around restricting 100% access, but we have an opportunity to make sure that the tool aided in their learning,” she said.\nHopkins recommends setting boundaries — such as requiring a student’s first draft to be their own work, or limiting AI in math to checking answers the way a tutor would. She also recommends parents sit with their kids while they use AI tools and keep that conversation open rather than hidden.\nHopkins said real frustration while learning is a good sign — it means the work is appropriately challenging.\nCopyright 2026 WBKO. 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