Latest news with #NBCNewsDecisionDesk
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Americans split over use of AI in schools, poll reveals deep uncertainty about education's future
Across the United States, a silent standoff is unfolding in classrooms. It is not about curriculum wars or partisan mandates, but a deeper reckoning over the role of artificial intelligence in shaping young minds. According to a new NBC News Decision Desk poll powered by SurveyMonkey, Americans are almost evenly split on whether AI belongs in schools. Yet, unlike most national debates, this one cuts cleanly through age, party, and ideology. Fifty-three percent of respondents said that incorporating AI tools in classrooms would better prepare students for the future. Meanwhile, 47 percent believed the opposite, asserting that banning such tools would serve students better. This narrow margin reveals a country caught between fear and fascination, between clinging to traditional instruction and racing toward an automated tomorrow. AI in education without a political script Remarkably, there are no significant differences in opinion across political lines. Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike are nearly equally divided. This political neutrality is unusual in a country where even textbook content and reading lists have become ideological battlegrounds. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Yet AI's disruptive potential has produced a rare bipartisan ambiguity. Fourteen percent of Republicans, 14 percent of Democrats, and 15 percent of independents said they use AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini 'very often.' An additional 28 to 31 percent across all parties reported using them 'sometimes.' On questions about AI's impact on the future, responses remained similarly aligned, with no dramatic variations across party lines. This even-handedness, however, has not translated into regulation. President Donald Trump has reversed many of the oversight mechanisms introduced by the Biden administration. The result is a largely unregulated AI sector, with companies freely embedding tools into educational platforms while Washington remains mostly passive. Educators sound the alarm While policymakers hesitate, educators are speaking out. Many teachers and college professors have voiced concerns about the growing use of AI by students. Some fear that AI tools undermine the learning process by encouraging dependency rather than critical thinking. Others worry that AI will accelerate inequality in education, favoring those with access to advanced tools and leaving others behind. In response, schools across the country are taking different paths. Some have returned to handwritten assignments to prevent misuse of AI, while others have adopted AI as a teaching aid, hoping to harness its potential to personalize learning and boost student engagement. OpenAI's ChatGPT Edu, Microsoft's Copilot, and Google's Gemini are being piloted in colleges. Khan Academy and other platforms have also introduced AI-powered tutors designed to work alongside human educators. The lack of consensus among educators mirrors the broader public divide. This uncertainty is not just about technology but about what kind of thinking schools are meant to cultivate. A nation unsure of its digital destiny The poll also explored how Americans perceive AI's long-term impact. Forty-four percent believe AI will make their lives and their families' lives better, while 42 percent believe it will make things worse. Only 7 percent see AI as a force that will make life 'much better,' while 16 percent fear it will make life 'much worse.' These responses reflect a public still trying to grasp the full implications of artificial intelligence. In education, that uncertainty becomes even more pressing. Schools are not simply places of content delivery. They are crucibles of cognitive development, where students learn not just information but how to think, question, and create. If AI replaces the struggle of writing or problem-solving with instant answers, what happens to that deeper intellectual growth? An unfinished policy conversation The classroom debate around AI is no longer theoretical. It is playing out in real time, often without guardrails. The current vacuum of policy leaves schools and teachers to make decisions without clear guidance. While federal lawmakers debate broader AI regulation, there is little national dialogue specifically about its role in education. This neglect may come at a cost. Without thoughtful integration, AI could widen learning gaps, diminish student effort, and erode the core mission of education. At the same time, rejecting AI entirely could leave American students ill-equipped for a job market increasingly shaped by automation and digital reasoning. The future is watching The choices educators and policymakers make now will define not only the role of AI in classrooms but also the values embedded in American education. The debate is no longer about whether AI will shape learning, but how and on whose terms. Artificial intelligence will not wait for consensus. It is already rewriting how knowledge is accessed, how assignments are completed, and how skills are developed. If the United States fails to develop a coherent vision for AI in education, it risks falling behind, not in technology, but in wisdom. The future of learning is being forged today. The question is whether America will lead with clarity or follow with confusion. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
7NEWS
30-06-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Elon Musk attacks President Donald Trump's spending bill
Elon Musk launched a series of attacks on Saturday against a massive spending bill that would fund much of President Donald Trump's agenda, renewing his criticisms as Senate Republicans rush to pass a package dubbed the 'big, beautiful bill' in order to meet a July 4 deadline set by Trump. 'The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!' Musk wrote in a post on X. 'Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.' Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The billionaire and former Trump adviser amplified a poll that suggests the 'big, beautiful bill' is politically unpopular due to its budgetary effects, a notion that was affirmed this month by several separate surveys. Forty percent of Republican respondents to a recent NBC News Decision Desk poll said 'ensuring the national debt is reduced' is the most important issue as Congress considers the Trump-backed mega-bill. Overall, a majority of respondents said maintaining current spending levels on programs like Medicaid is the most important issue. 'Polls show that this bill is political suicide for the Republican Party,' Musk wrote on X. Musk has long been a critic of Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' balking at its expected impact on the national deficit and arguing that it would offset government savings brought in by the Department of Government Efficiency, an office Trump appointed him to lead earlier this year. He maintained that opinion on Saturday, expressing it through several posts on his platform, X — including one post that attacked the bill's expected effect on the deficit as 'putting America in the fast lane to debt slavery!' Trump previously argued that Musk only opposed the legislation because of provisions aimed at stripping away electric vehicle tax credits. Musk today called a provision in the bill that he framed as targeting clean energy production 'incredibly destructive to America'. The Tesla chief's departure from the White House, where he formally served as a special government employee, came a day after he publicly expressed his criticisms of the bill during an interview with CBS Sunday Morning. 'I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, I don't know if it can be both,' Musk said at the time. While Musk no longer commands similar levels of influence in Washington, his past opposition to the bill emboldened Republicans lawmakers, some of whom, like Musk, took issue with its expected $US 4 trillion ($A 6 trillion) increase to the national deficit. The renewed criticism by Musk comes as Senate Republicans rush to whip enough votes to pass the 940-page mega-bill amid breaks in the party over certain provisions, including expected cuts to Medicaid that could strip funding from rural hospitals. Senator Thom Tillis, cited the loss of rural hospital funding in explaining his decision to oppose the bill. Earlier this month, shortly after the House of Representatives passed its version of the bill, Musk urged his more than 200 million followers on X to tell Congress to 'kill the bill.'
NBC News
28-06-2025
- Business
- NBC News
'Insane and destructive': Elon Musk resumes attacks on Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill'
Elon Musk launched a series of attacks on Saturday against a massive spending bill that would fund much of President Donald Trump's agenda, renewing his criticisms as Senate Republicans rush to pass the package, dubbed the "Big, Beautiful Bill," in order to meet a July 4th deadline set by Trump. "The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!," Musk wrote in a post on X. "Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future." The billionaire and former Trump adviser amplified a poll that suggests the "big, beautiful bill" is politically unpopular due to its budgetary effects, a notion that was affirmed this month by several separate surveys. Forty percent of Republican respondents to a recent NBC News Decision Desk poll said "ensuring the national debt is reduced" is the most important issue as Congress considers the Trump-backed mega bill. Overall, a majority of respondents said maintaining current spending levels on programs like Medicaid is the most important issue. "Polls show that this bill is political suicide for the Republican Party," Musk wrote on X. Musk has long been a critic of Trump's "big, beautiful bill," balking at its expected impact on the national deficit and arguing that it would offset government savings brought in by the Department of Government Efficiency, an organization Trump appointed him to lead earlier this year. He maintained that opinion Saturday, expressing it through several posts on his platform, X — including one post that attacked the bill's expected effect on the deficit "as "putting America in the fast lane to debt slavery!" Trump previously argued that Musk only opposed the legislation because of provisions aimed at stripping away electric vehicle tax credits. Musk today called a provision in the bill that he framed as targeting clean energy production "incredibly destructive to America." The Tesla chief's departure from the White House, where he formally served as a special government employee, came a day after he publicly expressed his criticisms of the bill during an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning." 'I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, I don't know if it can be both,' Musk said at the time. While Musk no longer commands similar levels of influence in Washington, his past opposition to the bill emboldened Republicans lawmakers, some of whom, like Musk, took issue with its expected $4 trillion increase to the national deficit. The renewed criticism by Musk comes as Senate Republicans rush to whip enough votes to pass the 940-page megabill amid breaks in the party over certain provisions, including expected cuts to Medicaid that could strip funding from rural hospitals. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C, cited the loss of rural hospital funding in explaining his decision to oppose the bill. Earlier this month, shortly after the House of Representatives passed its version of the bill, Musk urged his more than 200 million followers on X to tell Congress to "kill the bill."
The Hill
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
MAGA supporters more likely to back Iran strikes than traditional Republicans: Poll
Supporters of the MAGA movement are more likely than traditional Republicans to back the U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to a new poll from NBC News Decision Desk and powered by SurveyMonkey. In the survey, conducted in the days after the U.S. bombed Iran, Republicans indicate broad support for the strikes — with 78 percent supporting the military intervention, including 60 percent who strongly support it. But support is even stronger among the 54 percent of Republican respondents who consider themselves 'more of a supporter of the Make America Great Again or MAGA movement' — compared to the 46 percent who consider themselves 'more of a supporter of the Republican Party.' Eighty-four percent of MAGA supporters support the strikes, including 70 percent who strongly support them. Meanwhile, 72 percent of traditional Republicans support the strikes, with 49 percent strongly supporting them. Only 7 percent of MAGA supporters oppose the strikes, including 4 percent who do so strongly; while 17 percent of traditional Republicans oppose the strikes, including 12 percent who do strongly. Ahead of President Trump's decision to bomb Iran, high-profile figures associated with the 'MAGA movement' — including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and others — came out sharply against the move, arguing military intervention was antithetical to the 'America first' movement that has energized Trump's MAGA base. But the latest poll suggests those voices might be outliers in the broader MAGA movement. A recent CBS News/YouGov poll revealed similar results — with 85 percent of Republicans overall backing the strikes, including 94 percent of those who identify as 'MAGA Republicans.' Both polls were conducted amid a rapidly evolving news cycle. While pollsters were in the field, Iran launched a limited retaliatory attack on a U.S. airbase in Qatar, and Trump later announced a ceasefire agreement had been brokered. The NBC News poll was conducted June 23-25 and included 5,448 adults. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
60 percent disapprove of Trump's handling of tariffs, trade: Survey
Sixty percent of surveyed Americans say they disapprove of the way President Trump is handling trade and tariffs, according to a new NBC News Decision Desk poll powered by SurveyMonkey. In the poll, conducted in early June, 45 percent of respondents said they strongly disapproved of Trump's handling of the issue, while 15 percent said they somewhat disapproved. Another 19 percent of respondents said they strongly approve of the way the president has handled the issue, while 21 percent said they somewhat approve. The latest poll's results are similar to those of a survey taken in mid-April, which showed 61 percent of respondents disapproving of his handling of the issue and 39 percent approving. That April poll came after Trump made his April 2 'Liberation Day' tariff announcement, unveiling more than $600 billion in import taxes on goods from nearly all U.S. trading partners, including tariffs close to 100 percent on Chinese goods. Trump yielded to pressure from bond markets and congressional Republicans soon after by reducing his initial tariffs to 10 percent for 90 days, a deadline set to hit on July 8. Trump officials touted plans to strike 90 deals in 90 days but so far have only announced a deal with the United Kingdom, while also reaching a tariff truce with China. In the survey, Trump's overall approval rating is 45 percent, with 55 percent disapproving. The 'trade and tariffs' category is among his worst issues. Only 'inflation and cost of living' scores worse, with 61 percent disapproving and 39 percent approving. Border security and immigration remains his top issue, with 51 percent approval and 49 percent disapproval. The poll was conducted from May 30 to June 10, 2025, and included 19,410 adults. The margin of error is 2.1 percentage points. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
