A survey reveals that parents are concerned that AI is becoming a dependency for their children, while schools are finding it challenging to adapt.

      Only 1 in 3 schools has AI guidelines, while almost 50% of parents express concern about their children becoming overly dependent on AI.

      Kids are turning to AI for homework, leading to uncertainty among half of their parents regarding the appropriateness of this reliance. The 2026 Back-to-School Survey from Deloitte, which surveyed 1,207 parents of K-12 students, revealed that 49% of parents are worried their child is too reliant on AI.

      The results indicate that the adoption of AI is advancing much quicker than the policies intended to govern its use, leaving many parents uncertain about how these tools are being integrated into education.

      Insights from the survey regarding children and AI in schools

      The 2026 Deloitte Back-to-School Survey

      The data illustrates a notable disconnect between the use of AI and the regulation of its application. While 28% of students are already incorporating generative AI into their schoolwork, merely 33% of schools have established guidelines for its use. Only 22% of schools offer or endorse specific generative AI tools for students.

      Perhaps most significant is that 38% of parents are unaware if their child’s school has an AI policy, highlighting both a breakdown in communication and a policymaking issue. Additionally, 35% of parents expressed concerns that schools are not adequately preparing students for an AI-centric future. The disparity between students' activities and schools' formal recognition of them continues to widen each semester.

      How parents are addressing the gap

      The 2026 Deloitte Back-to-School Survey

      As schools are slow to respond, some parents are taking proactive steps. About 13% intend to invest in generative AI-related classes or tutoring outside of school, indicating that a private sector for AI education is beginning to emerge.

      Moreover, there's an ironic twist. The same survey found that parents utilizing generative AI alongside search engines and social media for their back-to-school shopping spend an average of $737 per child, nearly double the $381 spent by those who do not use any digital tools.

      This suggests that both AI anxiety and adoption are increasing within the same households. If schools do not accelerate their development of AI guidelines, parents will continue to find their own solutions, widening the divide between students who are prepared and those who are not.

      As AI becomes a standard study tool for many students, the critical question remains whether schools can effectively teach children to use it wisely, rather than allowing it to do their thinking for them.