Andreas Schleicher, architect of the OECD’s influential PISA exams, warns that European students now lack the very abilities required to navigate today’s information landscape. Fresh results reveal record lows in reading and math across developed nations, raising alarms about a generation unprepared for an AI-driven world.
The 2025 assessment tested 15-year-olds in 91 countries on how well they apply reading, math, and science to real problems. Schleicher told Euronews that the picture across Europe is deeply troubling. Beyond weaker literacy, students struggle to triangulate facts, critically evaluate information, and engage with complex texts. These skills matter more than ever as artificial intelligence floods daily life with unverified content.
“This technology is not necessarily accurate,” Schleicher said. Checking and verifying information should be second nature, yet young people increasingly skip that step.
A destructive feedback loop has emerged. Students lean on AI tools that do the thinking for them, which erodes exactly the cognitive muscles they need. PISA data confirms it: students who avoid using AI perform better. Schleicher put it bluntly. “You don’t get fit by watching sports. You get fit by doing sports.” Learning demands engaging with ideas, comparing perspectives, wrestling with contradictions. AI short-circuits that process.
Meanwhile, the latest PISA results expose sharp divides inside Europe. Seven EU countries scored well above the OECD average, but 13 member states landed significantly below. The steepest declines hit large economies: France, Germany, and Spain. Meanwhile, smaller, nimble nations found smarter solutions.
Estonia stands out. Its students ranked first in Europe and cracked the global top ten in reading, math, and science. Schleicher described Estonia as a country that engages with digital tools cautiously but productively.
Looking ahead, Schleicher urged schools to stop teaching skills that AI can easily replicate. Instead, focus should shift to ethical judgment and navigating complex human relationships. Students must become active learners, not passive consumers.
He also offered advice for families. Parents who simply ask about their child’s school day give that student an edge worth roughly two years of learning. Teachers, for their part, need time and support to become mentors and coaches, not just instructors.
