Gleisdorf – September 13, 2026 -- Artificial intelligence can now solve homework, write full essays, and answer complex questions within seconds, prompting education economist Ludger Wößmann to warn that children risk losing the motivation to build knowledge on their own.
Basic literacy and math remain non-negotiable, expert says
Wößmann argues that reading, writing, and arithmetic are becoming more important, not less, in the AI era. Without solid language skills, a child cannot judge the quality of an AI-generated text. Without foundational knowledge, they cannot critically evaluate an AI's answer or even know which questions to ask.
A perfect answer doesn't mean a child understood it
When an AI system produces an essay, explains a math problem, or summarizes a topic in seconds, it fundamentally changes how children learn. A flawless AI-generated solution can exist alongside a child having no real understanding of why it's correct, according to the analysis.
Critical thinking becomes the key skill as AI gets smarter
The volume of accessible information matters less now than what children do with it. Recognizing patterns, formulating good questions, testing different approaches, and revising an opinion when new facts emerge are described as the abilities that grow more valuable as AI tools become more capable. Simply accepting an AI's output as truth is flagged as a risk to avoid.
Struggling and failing at a problem is part of real learning
Tasks without a ready-made standard solution -- like movement or logic exercises where a rule suddenly changes -- require perception, trial and error, and a willingness to adjust course. The analysis stresses that this capacity for adaptation is best built through making mistakes and starting over, not through instantly retrieving a correct answer.
Marco Schnabl says parents shouldn't ban AI outright
Marco Schnabl, founder of the body'n brain® concept, compares restricting children's AI use to banning calculators or the internet -- ultimately unworkable. Instead, he suggests children should be encouraged to ask why an AI answer might be correct, where the information comes from, and whether other viewpoints exist, rather than accepting the first response at face value. Schnabl has spent more than 23 years studying how the brain, body, and nervous system interact to support children's learning.