Artificial Intelligence Video

How AI Complicates Student Well-Being. What Schools Should Know

By Kevin Bushweller, Arianna Prothero & Yi-Jo Shen — May 20, 2026 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

AI-powered products are becoming increasingly powerful. Existing education tools that incorporate AI are being developed with the intention of helping kids build better social skills and support their mental health. But mental health experts have raised alarms over adolescents’ abilities to tell the difference between the simulated empathy of an AI-driven chatbot and genuine human understanding.

Learn how to teach responsible and thoughtful use of AI tools that will help kids build valuable life skills, no matter when or where they are using technology.

Events

Professional Development K-12 Essentials Forum Getting Professional Development to Stick
Join this free virtual event to explore best practices, funding, format, and timing for teacher and principal PD.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
The Road to Opportunity: Making CTE Accessible for All
The most valuable CTE happens off campus. For too many students, transportation is the barrier that keeps opportunity out of reach.
Content provided by HopSkipDrive
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Recruitment & Retention Webinar
New Hire, No Laptop, No Login: Preventing Day-One Disruption
What happens before day one matters. Discover how districts are improving the new hire experience.
Content provided by Frontline Education

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Artificial Intelligence At U.S. Senate Hearing, a Call for AI That Protects 'Human Judgment' in Schools
State and company officials want meaningful guardrails around AI use in schools.
4 min read
Delaware Secretary of Education Cynthia Marten meeting with a student while visiting a classroom at the Adams Campus of Oyster-Adams Bilingual School in Washington, Thursday, May 25, 2023. At a U.S. Senate hearing this week, Marten said policymakers should recognize AI's potential while preserving the importance of "human relationships and human judgment."
Delaware Secretary of Education Cynthia Marten visits a classroom at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School in Washington on May 25, 2023. Marten testified on Tuesday before a U.S. Senate subcommittee exploring the role of AI in schools.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
Artificial Intelligence White House Honors AI Challenge Winners as Tech Backlash Grows
Students and teachers submitted projects that use AI to solve problems in their schools and communities.
First Lady Melania Trump leaves the East Room after hosting the Inaugural Presidential AI Challenge National Champion Awards Ceremony at the White House on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Washington.
First lady Melania Trump leaves the East Room after hosting the inaugural Presidential AI Challenge National Champion Awards Ceremony at the White House on June 9, 2026, in Washington.
John McDonnell/AP
Artificial Intelligence Why This Large District Used AI to Simplify Its Org Chart
The school system's organizational chart evolved organically for decades. Can AI bring cohesion?
3 min read
Image of an organizational chart with "prompt."
Getty + Canva
Artificial Intelligence Kids Are Turning to AI Before Adults for Homework Help
Students increasingly turn to AI first for school help, raising trust and safety concerns.
5 min read
Student doing homework at home
Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty