UK poll reveals split: 89% oppose student AI use yet 46% back grammar help

Public opinion is sharply divided on whether students should use artificial intelligence to improve their writing in school coursework, according to a new YouGov poll commissioned by Cambridge University Press and Assessment, a UK-based educational testing organization. The survey of 2,221 UK adults reveals a complex landscape where 89% consider AI use “unacceptable” for pupils, yet nearly half support its use for basic grammar and punctuation corrections—highlighting the nuanced challenges educators face as AI becomes increasingly prevalent in classrooms.

What you should know: The poll exposes significant contradictions in public attitudes toward AI in education, with acceptance varying dramatically based on specific use cases.

• While 89% of adults deemed AI use by pupils “unacceptable” in general terms, 46% agreed that using AI for punctuation and grammar in school coursework was acceptable, compared to 44% who opposed it.
• Only 16% of respondents believed reducing or removing coursework completed at home was the best solution to prevent student AI misuse.
• More than three in five UK adults oppose teachers using AI to mark coursework, though 27% support the practice.

The big picture: Education leaders are calling for a coordinated national strategy to address AI’s growing presence in schools rather than retreating from coursework altogether.

• Jill Duffy, chief executive of exam board OCR, emphasized that “the public is clear that coursework is too important to lose, even in the age of AI.”
• An independent curriculum and assessment review published an interim report in March noting “risks” to standards and fairness concerning AI in relation to coursework, with final recommendations expected this autumn.

Why this matters: The debate comes as educational authorities grapple with how to adapt assessment methods for an AI-integrated world without compromising academic integrity.

• The findings challenge educators to “adapt coursework so it is fit for the AI century,” according to Duffy, who argues that AI “enables us to test different skills, and to reduce the intense volume of exams taken at 16.”
• The review, chaired by education expert Becky Francis, is considering reducing the “overall volume of assessment” at GCSE level in response to AI-related concerns.

What they’re saying: Educational leaders frame AI integration as inevitable and potentially transformational rather than simply problematic.

• “AI is already in our schools and is not going away,” Duffy said. “A co-ordinated national strategy, with funding to ensure no schools are left behind, will build public confidence in its transformational potential.”