57+ AI and Cheating in Schools Statistics

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how students learn, but it’s also triggering new concerns about academic integrity. In the UK, students are turning to AI tools for everything from homework help to essay writing, raising questions about what counts as cheating, and whether our schools are prepared. But with that shift comes a major challenge: AI and cheating in schools.

This article explores the rise of AI in British classrooms and how students, teachers, and parents are reacting. Based on the newly released Future of Education Report 2025 conducted by our GoStudent partner, which includes insights from 5,859 students, their parents, and 300 teachers across six European countries, including 1,000 from the UK.

Key Takeaways: Cheating or Coping?

• 35% of UK students have used AI in a school learning context, the highest rate across surveyed countries.
• 21% of UK students admit using AI to pass an exam.
• Only 30% of UK students have access to AI tools in school, highlighting a clear resource gap.
• 62% of students wish their teachers were more informed about AI.
• 74% of UK teachers have received no training on how to use or teach AI.
• 54% of parents fear their children are becoming too reliant on AI.
• 71% of teachers believe AI should be supervised, not banned.
• 50% of UK teachers believe students will need access to generative AI tools (like ChatGPT) within the next two years.

Download the Full Report

What Do UK Students Really Think About AI and Cheating?

The rise of AI has changed how students approach schoolwork, but are they using it to cheat more often? According to Stanford University, 60–70% of students admitted to cheating at least once in the previous month, a figure that has remained steady even after AI tools entered the picture (Stanford)

AI is being used in multiple ways:

• 35% of UK students have used AI in a school learning context, the highest usage across all countries surveyed.
• 21% admit to using AI specifically to pass a test or exam.
• 16% say they’ve used AI to write essays.
• 28% use AI to improve their coursework rather than to cheat.
• Only 30% of students have access to AI-powered tools in school, showing a clear divide in resources.
• 62% of students wish their teachers were more informed about AI.

(Source: GoStudent Future of Education Report 2025)

AI Use in UK Classrooms: Are Students Cheating More Than Before?

British students are increasingly integrating AI into their learning routines, whether for research, revision, or a little help on assignments. While many recognise AI as a useful educational tool, they also express doubts about its trustworthiness and the ethical line between learning support and cheating.

• 92% of students reported using generative AI tools like ChatGPT in their studies, up from 66% in 2024. (HEPI/Kortext)
• 88% said they used these tools specifically for assessments. (HEPI/Kortext)
• 18% admitted to submitting work that included AI-generated content. (HEPI/Kortext)
• 53% of students were concerned about being accused of misconduct when using AI. (HEPI/Kortext)
• Only 36% said they had received formal training from their institution on how to use AI tools. (HEPI/Kortext)
• 95% of students admitted to cheating on tests or homework in some way, with 15% using fake term papers. (Artsmart)
• In the UK, 33% of student papers were flagged for plagiarism, even though only 10% were primarily AI-generated. (Artsmart)
• At the University of Sheffield, suspected AI cheating cases rose from 6 to 92 in one year, with 79 students penalised. (Times Higher Education)
• Queen Mary University of London reported a rise from 10 to 89 AI-related cases in the same period, all resulting in penalties. (Times Higher Education)
• 67% of students believe using AI is essential in today’s world. (HEPI/Kortext)

What Do UK Teachers and Parents Think About AI in Schools?

The rapid growth of AI in education has left many UK teachers and parents feeling both intrigued and unprepared. While some embrace its potential, others are concerned about misinformation, over-reliance, and the lack of formal training.

• 74% of UK teachers have received no training on how to use or teach AI in schools.
• 56% of teachers say they want AI-specific training.
• 54% of UK parents worry their child is becoming too dependent on AI for learning.
• 36% of UK parents are already using parental control tools to manage what their children see online.
• 91% of teachers across Europe believe misinformation and fake news spread by AI are already influencing children. In the UK, 48% of teachers say students often misunderstand current events due to online misinformation.
• 95% of parents and 96% of teachers say they’re actively helping children learn how to navigate online information.

(Source: GoStudent Future of Education Report 2025)

Generative AI and its Effects

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can produce high-quality written responses in seconds. For students under pressure, this means faster outputs with less effort, but also fewer opportunities to practise critical thinking.

The GoStudent Future of Education Report 2025 reveals that students are more likely to hide their use of AI, and teachers worry this reliance could dull essential skills:

“Critical thinking will be lost on the part of students, since they will depend more on AI.”

— Maths teacher, GoStudent Education Report

• 35% of teachers think students need acces to Generative AI
• AI Usage Among High School Students: A study found that 70% of high school students reported using generative AI tools during the 2023–24 school year, an increase from 58% the previous year. (K-12Dive)
• Teachers Reporting AI-Related Discipline: In the 2023–24 school year, 63% of teachers reported that students had gotten in trouble for being accused of using generative AI in their schoolwork, up from 48% the previous year. (Education Week)
• Ease of Cheating with AI: Nearly half (47%) of students believe it is easier to cheat than it was the previous year due to the increased use of generative AI. (Inside Higher Ed)
• A survey found that 88% of UK students had used generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, for assessed work, a significant rise from 2023. (The Times)

The Future of Assessment: What Can Replace Traditional Exams?

Traditional exams are under growing scrutiny from UK teachers, students, and parents, especially with the rise of AI in education. Many now believe that rigid, memorisation-heavy tests no longer reflect real-world skills or prepare learners for a tech-driven future.

• 62% of parents say new ways of assessing students are needed.
• 59% of parents believe grades don’t accurately reflect children’s abilities.
• 58% say their children spend too much time memorising for exams.
• 74% of UK teachers support simulation-based assessments (SBAs) as a more effective alternative.
• 41% of teachers criticise traditional exams for overemphasising memorisation.
• Other concerns include stress (34%), limited skill measurement (26%), and lack of real-world relevance (22%).

🗣️ What UK Teachers Say

“Simulation-based assessment is obviously the best way to prepare for the real thing.”
— Maths teacher, GoStudent Education Report

“I’m worried that students rely on AI and lazy shortcuts.”
— Maths teacher, GoStudent Education Report

“AI will do maths for the students.”
— Physics teacher, GoStudent Education Report

AI Tools in Schools: Smart Learning Tool or Shortcut?

As AI becomes more common in UK classrooms, the line between helpful tool and academic shortcut is getting harder to define. Students are using AI for everything from learning new topics to writing essays, but where should we draw the line?

• 33% of students use AI to help them learn and understand school subjects.
• 13% say they use AI specifically to write essays.
• 31% believe AI is a useful tool for everyday life.
• 54% of UK parents worry their children are becoming too dependent on AI for learning.
• 20% of parents say screen time and AI use is affecting their child’s attention span.
• 91% of teachers across Europe, including the UK, believe misinformation and fake news spread by AI are already influencing young people.
• 68% of UK students say they plan to continue using AI in the future.

(Source: GoStudent Future of Education Report 2025)

What’s clear is that while AI can boost learning, it must be taught responsibly. Without proper guidance, students risk using it as a shortcut instead of a skill builder.

AI Cheating in UK Universities

While the GoStudent report focuses on secondary students, other researches show that have used AI to complete assignments or exams.

• College Students Using AI for Assignments or Exams: A survey indicates that 56% of college students have admitted to using AI tools for assignments or exams. (Word Spinner)
• Reported Cases in Scotland: In 2024, over 1,000 instances of AI-related cheating were recorded across Scottish universities, marking a significant increase from the previous year. (The Scottish Sun)
• Expulsions Due to AI Misuse: More than 600 students were accused of misusing AI in their studies, with 10 expulsions reported in Scottish universities. (The Times)

Detection and Prevention Strategies

As AI use in schools becomes widespread, educators are turning to tools like GPTZero and Turnitin’s AI detection software to catch AI-generated work. But detection alone isn't enough, especially when tools can produce false positives or miss cleverly edited AI outputs.

• AI Detection Tool Usage: Approximately 68% of teachers have used an AI detection tool, a substantial increase from the previous year. (Education Week)
• False Positives in AI Detection: Studies have shown that AI detection tools can produce false positives, leading to potential wrongful accusations of academic misconduct. (Wikipedia)
• Detection Challenges: A study at a UK university revealed that professors failed to detect 97% of AI-generated assignments submitted under fake student profiles, highlighting the difficulty in identifying AI-assisted work. (New York Magazine)

Ultimately, policy alone won’t solve the problem. Without proper teacher support, training, and modern assessment models, enforcement risks becoming inconsistent and unfair.

The Future of Learning with Artificial Intelligence: What to Expect

AI is shaping not just how students learn today, but also how they imagine the classroom of tomorrow. From virtual tutors to smart robots, the next generation is already thinking ahead, and they want education to keep up.

Here’s what the data tells us:

• AI is the #1 subject UK students want added to the curriculum, followed closely by cybersecurity.
• 29% of teachers think students need access to AI writing assistants.
• 8 in 10 students across Europe say they want to learn how to use AI for their future, not just for schoolwork.
• 50% of UK students believe that smart robots and AI will be a regular part of classrooms by 2030.
• 23% of teachers think students need access to AI maths tools.
• 46% of UK parents hope AI will help make teachers more effective, not replace them.
• 44% of UK teachers believe AI can provide a personalised learning experience.
• 70% of UK teachers say AI will be central to students’ future careers.
• 29% of teachers think students need access to AI language learning tools.

(Source: GoStudent Future of Education Report 2025)

Students want AI to be part of education, not a hidden tool or a banned shortcut. They want to be taught how to use it well, ethically, responsibly, and with purpose.

The takeaway? It’s not about banning AI. It’s about preparing students to use it well, with oversight, ethics, and the ability to think independently.

“Rather than worrying that children might use AI to cheat, we should focus on how they can use AI to prosper.”
— GoStudent Future of Education Report 2025