Youth losing critical skills and AI 'hollowing out' capabilities, PISA founder says

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-10T19:27:44.095Z • Permanent link

Renowned education expert and PISA founder, Dr. Andy Hillol, has sounded the alarm on a growing concern that is affecting the global education landscape. Dr. Hillol, who has spent decades developing and administering the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), warns that a dramatic decline in parental interest and tech-driven behavioural changes could be behind record-low student performances. Specifically, the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 results, which ranked 78 countries and economies in reading, mathematics, and science literacy, revealed that only 39 countries scored above the OECD average. Dr. Hillol attributes this decline to the increasing reliance on technology, which he believes is "hollowing out" capabilities and leading to a loss of critical skills.

Dr. Hillol's concerns are echoed by other education experts, who point to the proliferation of screen-based learning as a major factor in the decline. A recent study by the National Center for Education Statistics found that in 2019, over 90% of students in the United States were using digital devices to access educational content, up from just 50% in 2011. While this increased access to information has its benefits, Dr. Hillol argues that it has also led to a decline in face-to-face interaction and deep thinking, which are essential skills for success in an increasingly complex world.

The PISA results are also being influenced by changing demographics and socio-economic trends. For example, in some countries, the proportion of students from low-income backgrounds has increased, while in others, the proportion of students from high-income backgrounds has decreased. This shift is having a disproportionate impact on student performance, as low-income students often have less access to resources and support at home. Dr. Hillol believes that policymakers must take these changes into account when developing education policies, and that they must prioritize the needs of all students, regardless of their socio-economic background.

The implications of Dr. Hillol's warnings are far-reaching and significant. In the Data Sources domain, companies such as Google and Amazon are already investing heavily in education technology, with a focus on developing AI-powered learning platforms that can personalize the learning experience for individual students. However, Dr. Hillol's concerns about the impact of technology on student performance raise questions about the effectiveness of these approaches. If technology is "hollowing out" capabilities, then how can we be sure that students are developing the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly complex world?

Research communities are also taking notice of Dr. Hillol's warnings. A recent study by the Brookings Institution found that while technology can be a powerful tool for learning, it must be used in conjunction with other approaches, such as hands-on activities and social learning, in order to produce meaningful results. This suggests that policymakers and educators must take a more nuanced approach to education technology, one that prioritizes the needs of all students and recognizes the limitations of technology as a sole solution.

Dr. Hillol's warnings are part of a larger pattern of concern about the impact of technology on education. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need for a more balanced approach to education, one that takes into account the limitations of technology and prioritizes the needs of all students. This is reflected in the work of organizations such as the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), which has been working to develop a more comprehensive approach to education that takes into account the needs of students, teachers, and families.