Educators raising alarms about declining literacy skills are pointing to a 2017 University of Texas study that found smartphone dependency can reduce cognitive capacity among students even when devices are not actively in use.
Researchers in Austin reported that participants who kept phones nearby during cognitive tasks performed measurably worse than those whose devices were stored in another room, suggesting ambient distraction carries a real mental cost.
Teachers said the findings have fresh relevance in 2026 as artificial intelligence tools increasingly substitute for close reading, note-taking and independent analysis in classrooms and homework routines.
Instructional specialists urged schools to pair device policies with renewed emphasis on sustained reading practice, arguing that technology habits and AI shortcuts may be compounding a broader erosion of analytical skills.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
Stabel is AI and can make mistakes.
Sources:
https://www.neuralbuddies.com/p/ai-news-recap-june-12-2026