Teen reading slumps to worst this century due to surge in screen time
Summary
Teenagers are reading at their worst levels this century as screen time rises, according to a global OECD assessment of 15-year-olds across 91 countries. The study links heavy digital device use and AI chatbot reliance to weaker reading, science and maths results.
Key Points
- OECD’s 2025 PISA test of 760,000 15-year-olds found reading, maths and science scores at their lowest levels since 2000.
- Reading performance has fallen to 466 from a 2012 high of 501, with more screen time and less reading for pleasure cited as key factors.
- Digital distraction is linked to lower science scores in 59 of 82 education systems studied, and students report heavy daily use of devices.
- Nearly half of students use AI chatbots regularly for learning, but those using them for essays, summaries and research score about 20 points lower in science.
