by Some of the Most Compelling Voices at ASU+GSV Were High School Freshmen.
Posted by Project Tomorrow | April 2026
At the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, Project Tomorrow CEO Dr. Julie A. Evans moderated a panel made up entirely of K-12 students. Four high school freshmen took the stage for Busting the Myths: What K-12 Students Really Think about the Potential for AI and Learning, and what they shared was some of the most honest, grounded, and eye-opening commentary on AI and education we’ve heard in a long time.
Here’s what stayed with us.
The Data and the Lived Experience Matched
For the past two and a half years, Project Tomorrow has been collecting student perspectives on AI through our Speak Up Research Project. One of our most striking findings: 55% of middle and high school students say they are learning how to use AI on their own or through family members, not in school.
Our student panelists confirmed it firsthand. Most of their AI fluency came from home, from parents who walked them through prompting, from uncles who said “Yo, check this out,” and in one memorable moment, from a student whose mom introduced her to an AI tool and showed her how it could help with homework and creative projects.
Less than half of students say they’re learning about AI in the classroom. That gap matters.
Students Are Using AI With More Intention Than We Often Give Them Credit For
When Dr. Evans asked the students how they currently use AI, the answers were thoughtful and remarkably self-directed. They described:
- Using AI to generate personalized study guides and practice problems from their own class notes
- Asking AI to explain difficult concepts in simpler terms when a lesson didn’t fully land
- Using AI as a translation bridge to help friends who don’t speak English connect with classmates and teachers
- Exploring topics of personal interest, from soccer to film recommendations, through conversational AI tools
One student captured the spirit of the panel perfectly, saying she wants AI to work with her rather than for her — to function as “a study guide rather than a study cheat.”
They Named the Risks…Without Being Prompted
What struck the room was how clearly and candidly our student panelists identified the very concerns educators and policymakers debate in boardrooms and conference sessions. Without any prompting, they raised:
- Cheating and over-reliance: Students who use AI to complete assignments without engaging with the material are setting themselves up for gaps in learning that quietly compound over time.
- Misinformation: AI can generate inaccurate information, especially on complex or nuanced topics, and students need to develop the critical thinking to evaluate what they receive.
- Privacy: Sharing too much personal information with AI tools carries real risk, even if students aren’t always sure where that line is.
- Social harm: One student expressed concern about AI being used to generate content that could hurt or upset peers.
These weren’t abstract talking points. They were observations drawn from the hallways, lunch tables, and classrooms these students navigate every day.
Their Ask of Educators Was Simple and Clear
77% of middle and high school students in our Speak Up research say AI should be allowed in schools. But what our panelists wanted wasn’t just access. It was guidance.
Several students noted that most of their teachers either avoid discussing AI altogether or frame it primarily around cheating detection. Very few, they said, are actively teaching students how to use AI as a legitimate learning tool.
One student put it plainly: if teachers taught students how to use AI correctly, more students would use it to learn rather than to cut corners. Another added that teachers may not yet feel confident enough in their own AI skills to bring it into the classroom, and that’s okay, but it’s something the field needs to address urgently.
For context from our research: teacher comfort and proficiency with AI tools is directly correlated with whether they support AI use in their classrooms. Building that confidence isn’t optional — it’s essential.
What We’re Taking Away
The session was a reminder that the students sitting in our classrooms are already navigating a world that many adults are still trying to understand. They are experimenting, self-directing, and yes, sometimes struggling, but they are doing it largely on their own, without a roadmap from the institutions meant to prepare them.
The classrooms of 2026 have an opportunity to catch up. And these students are ready to help show the way.
Listen to the Full Session
Want to hear directly from the students? We’re sharing the full audio recording from the session.
A huge thank you to the ASU+GSV Summit team for hosting us, to Larry Corio of ASU Learning Transformation Studios for his thoughtful introduction, and most of all to our four incredible student panelists — Aahan, Ada, Joe, and Reese — for their candor, insight, and vision for what learning can be.
Project Tomorrow is a national education nonprofit dedicated to amplifying the voices of students, educators, and families to improve decision-making in K–12 schools. Learn more about our Speak Up Research Project here.
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