Ms Áine Lynch:

The National Parents Council thanks the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence for the opportunity to contribute to the discussion. As the national body representing parents in education, we focus specifically on education in doing that. In preparation for this meeting, the NPC conducted a national survey to gather parents’ views on the use of artificial intelligence in education. The survey explored awareness, expectations and concerns around AI tools such as chatbots, personalised learning platforms and automated grading systems. It also looked at broader issues including privacy, ethics and the role of teachers in AI-supported classrooms. The survey received responses from 911 parents, collected between 21 August and 8 September 2025. I hope the committee has received a full report on that.

I will summarise some of the findings. Overall, parents’ opinions are divided. Some see AI as a useful support tool but most are concerned about its use in schools. They are concerned about over-reliance on AI and its potential negative effects on social skills and fear that it could weaken children’s problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking. These concerns were especially pronounced for younger learners, with many parents warning against introducing AI at primary level. Ethical and privacy issues were central, with most parents reporting that they were “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about how their child’s personal data might be collected and used. There were strong calls for regulation in line with EU standards. Concerns about fairness and unequal access to AI tools were also raised.

Parents identified several advantages of AI, including support for children with additional educational needs, assistance with administrative tasks for teachers and the potential to personalise learning.

Commonly recognised tools included AI tutors, homework helpers and language translation aids. Nonetheless, parents were consistent in stressing that AI should only complement, and never replace, human teaching, emotional understanding and the relational aspects of education.

Turning to varied awareness and understanding of AI, while most parents rated their familiarity with AI relatively highly, many remained unsure about its full implications in education. Over half had heard of AI being used in schools, although they were not sure what it was being used for. Almost half had not discussed it with their children, indicating mixed levels of engagement and understanding. Parents felt excluded from decisions about AI in schools and expressed a strong need for better communication and clear policies. Over 60% said they would need training to feel comfortable with AI in their child’s education, and over 77% supported teaching children how AI works and how to use it responsibly. A significant majority of parents, over 88%, were either opposed to or unsure about AI being used to assess students’ work or grade State exams. Their concerns centred on fairness, accuracy and the loss of human judgment in educational evaluation.

The report shows that while some parents see potential benefits, most are cautious or concerned. They want a system that puts children’s learning, development and well-being first. Parents are asking for clear policies, better communication and meaningful involvement in decisions about AI in schools. They believe that education should remain rooted in human connection, creativity and ethical responsibility, and that any use of AI must be carefully considered, transparent and always in the best interests of children.