For school leaders and educators, the conversation around Artificial Intelligence often centers on one word: cheating. But this question is at the heart of a major dilemma facing every school: understanding AI’s impact on learning. A groundbreaking study from MIT reveals a more insidious risk. When students consistently rely on AI to do their thinking, they can accumulate “cognitive debt“—a condition where the brain’s problem-solving muscles get weaker, memory fades, and the very capacity for critical thinking declines.

This isn’t just an issue of academic integrity; it’s a threat to the core mission of education. Spotting this over-reliance is the first step to addressing it. Here are five key red flags for the classroom that indicate a negative AI impact on learning.

Red Flag #1: The Rise of the “Soulless” Essay

What It Looks Like in the Classroom: You’re grading a stack of assignments that are grammatically perfect and well-structured, but they lack a distinct personality. The arguments are generic, the examples are predictable, and you see a “homogenized” quality across multiple submissions. The student’s unique voice is gone, replaced by something researchers in the MIT study called “soulless“.

Why It’s a Red Flag for Schools: This signals a shift from process-oriented learning to product-oriented submission. When students outsource the entire thinking process, it becomes impossible to assess genuine understanding. This undermines learning objectives and erodes the value of writing as a tool for discovery.

An Action for Educators: During class, ask students to defend a single paragraph from their essay verbally. A student who did the work can elaborate; a student who outsourced it will struggle to go beyond the text on the page.

Red Flag #2: The Inability to Explain or Defend Their Own Work

What It Looks Like in the Classroom: During a Socratic seminar or a simple follow-up question at their desk, a student hesitates or is unable to summarize their main points without looking at their paper. They can present the work, but they can’t discuss it.

Why It’s a Red Flag for Schools: This is a direct indicator of a negative AI impact on learning. In the MIT study, a staggering 83% of students who used ChatGPT couldn’t recall key points from the essays they had just produced. If students cannot articulate their own work, they haven’t mastered the material, regardless of what the submitted assignment suggests.

An Action for Educators: Integrate more low-stakes verbal assessments. Ask students to give a one-minute summary of their paper’s thesis or explain their problem-solving process to a peer.

Red Flag #3: A Sudden, Unexplained Jump in Performance

What It Looks Like in the Classroom: A student who has historically struggled with writing structure or vocabulary suddenly turns in a flawlessly composed, sophisticated essay. The tone and complexity are inconsistent with their past work and how they speak in class.

Why It’s a Red Flag for Schools: This compromises the integrity of assessment data. While we celebrate student growth, a dramatic leap without a corresponding development in process can mean that a student has simply found a way to bypass skill-building. This makes it impossible to provide appropriate support or identify where they truly need help.

An Action for Educators: In a one-on-one conference, praise the work and ask about their process. “I’m so impressed with the leap in your writing here. Walk me through your process for this essay; I’d love to know what clicked for you.”

Red Flag #4: Increased Anxiety Around “Brain-Only” Tasks

What It Looks Like in the Classroom: You notice unusual resistance or stress when students face assignments that must be completed without technology, such as in-class timed writes, whiteboard problem-solving, or group discussions where devices are put away.

Why It’s a Red Flag for Schools: This can signal a growing dependency that undermines academic resilience. When students accumulate “cognitive debt,” unaided thinking feels harder and more intimidating. This is a critical component of AI’s impact on learning that schools must address, as it hinders their ability to think on their feet.

An Action for Educators: Frame these “brain-only” moments as “mental crossfit.” Have an open conversation about the value of productive struggle and how it builds the mental muscles they’ll need for college and careers.

Red Flag #5: Increased Social Withdrawal and Fixation on an AI “Friend”

What It Looks Like in the Classroom: A student becomes more socially withdrawn or is unusually engrossed with a specific app on their device during breaks. You may overhear talk of an AI companion that “gets them” or see a chatbot interface on their screen.

Why It’s a Red Flag for Schools: This is a critical student wellness issue. Research from Common Sense Media found that a third of teens find AI conversations “as satisfying or more satisfying” than talking with real friends. These unregulated platforms can foster unhealthy emotional dependence and isolate students from the real-world support systems at school.

An Action for School Leaders: This is a signal for the need for school-wide digital citizenship and mental health initiatives. It’s a conversation that needs to involve teachers, counselors, and parents.

The Path Forward: A School-Wide Strategy

If you recognize these signs, the solution isn’t a district-wide ban. It’s a school-wide strategy for proactive education. Students are using AI because it’s powerful and available, but they often lack the framework to use it responsibly.

This is precisely the gap my school assembly program, Generation AI: Equipping Students for Safe, Wise, and Responsible AI Use, is designed to fill. It moves beyond a simple list of “don’ts” and gives students, faculty, and parents a shared language for navigating this new reality. We teach them how to use AI as a co-pilot to enhance their own intelligence, not an autopilot that replaces it. By addressing the “why” behind these five signs and understanding AI’s impact on learning, we empower your entire school community to make smarter, healthier, and more responsible choices with technology.

Click here to learn more about my AI school assembly program and how it can future-proof your students’ minds.

Written by: Eddie Cortés
Sept. 18, 2025 © Eddie Cortés, LLC