Q: What did the Japanese students AI usage survey find about high school students’ use of AI? A: The Japanese students AI usage survey found that over 70% of high school students use AI tools like ChatGPT, mainly for homework assistance (about 42%), information gathering (about 26%) and advice or counseling (around 24%). Other reported uses included translation and creating texts or stories. Q: How common is AI use among junior high and elementary students according to the survey? A: About 43% of junior high students and about 37% of elementary pupils reported using AI, with elementary students especially relying on AI for information retrieval (44%), studying (about 33%) and image creation (around 24%). Surveys for preschool through junior high were completed alongside parents, and the report notes parents often guide younger students’ use. Q: Did students report any changes in their thinking or cognitive skills after using AI? A: Most students across age groups reported no noticeable change in their thinking, according to the survey. Elementary and junior high students were more likely to feel their thinking had improved, while high schoolers were the most likely to report a perceived decrease in their own thinking capacity. Q: How was the survey conducted and what was the sample size? A: The survey was conducted online in November 2025 and analyzed responses from 2,400 students across all grade levels. The data set included 1,200 valid responses from the preschool and elementary categories and 600 responses each from the junior high and high school groups, with younger surveys completed alongside parents and high schoolers responding themselves. Q: What practical steps does the article recommend for schools and families to manage AI use? A: The article recommends setting clear rules about allowed uses, requiring students to note if and how AI helped, and using oral check-ins or short quizzes to confirm understanding. It also suggests designing assignments that demand process artifacts like outlines and drafts, teaching prompt and verification habits, and co-using tools with younger learners while limiting time on AI. Q: What risks associated with student AI use did the report highlight and how can they be reduced? A: Key risks include over-reliance on AI, hallucinations (confident but wrong answers), privacy concerns from pasting personal data, and fairness issues if students lack access to tools. The report suggests rotating no-AI tasks, teaching students to flag and verify AI claims, avoiding sharing personal data in public tools, and providing school-provided resources to ensure access. Q: How can teachers use AI to boost learning without letting it replace student thinking? A: Teachers can encourage students to use AI for explanations, step-by-step methods, brainstorming and outlining while requiring students to produce final drafts and explain their steps. The article promotes prompt patterns like “Explain like I’m 13” or “Show two methods,” verifying AI answers with trusted sources and collecting process artifacts to confirm genuine understanding. Q: Why do experts say AI literacy is important for students? A: Experts such as Hiroyuki Masukawa argue the conversation should center on whether AI genuinely enhances learning and on teaching students to use AI to bolster critical thinking rather than replace it. The Japanese students AI usage survey underlines this by showing widespread use across ages and the need to teach clear questioning, fact-checking and bias-spotting skills.