Artificial intelligence is often celebrated as a revolutionary force in education. From homework help to language learning and exam preparation, AI-powered tools promise efficiency, access and personalised learning. Yet behind this optimism lies a growing concern: our students are spending more time with screens than with the world around them, and the consequences are becoming increasingly visible – especially in Pakistan.
Across urban and semi-urban areas, playgrounds are emptier than they once were. Cricket matches in streets, football in open plots, and informal outdoor games are steadily being replaced by mobile phones, tablets and laptops. While technology itself is not the enemy, unregulated screen time combined with AI dependency is reshaping childhood in troubling ways.
The Decline of Outdoor Activity: Outdoor play is not merely recreation; it is essential for physical health, emotional regulation and social development. In Pakistan, where childhood obesity, poor posture and eyesight problems are already rising, long hours of screen use are accelerating health risks. Students spend their free time scrolling, gaming or interacting with AI tools instead of running, climbing, or engaging in team sports.
This shift is particularly concerning in a country where structured sports facilities are limited and informal outdoor play has traditionally filled the gap. When screens dominate leisure time, children lose the natural opportunities to develop coordination, stamina, teamwork and resilience.
AI Dependency and Cognitive Risks: AI tools can explain concepts quickly, generate essays, solve problems and even think “on behalf” of students. While this can be helpful in moderation, overreliance risks weakening critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. Students may stop struggling with ideas – a process essential for learning – and instead look for instant answers.
In Pakistan’s exam-oriented education system, where rote learning already dominates, AI can further reduce intellectual engagement. When students outsource thinking to machines, education becomes transactional rather than transformational.
Social Isolation in a Connected World: Ironically, increased digital connectivity is often accompanied by greater social isolation. Many Pakistani students now interact more with screens than with peers. Face-to-face conversations, conflict resolution, empathy and emotional intelligence are skills learned through real-world interaction – not through algorithms.
Extended screen time has also been linked to anxiety, sleep disorders and reduced attention spans. In households where parents are busy or unaware of digital risks, children may spend late nights on devices, disrupting sleep cycles critical for adolescent brain development.
A Cultural and Economic Dimension: Pakistan faces unique challenges. In many families, screens are seen as safe alternatives to outdoor play due to traffic, security concerns or lack of green spaces. Moreover, AI tools are often marketed as shortcuts to academic success in a highly competitive environment. This makes regulation and balance even more difficult. However, education should not come at the cost of health, character and community life.
Finding the Balance: The solution is not to reject AI, but to use it responsibly. Schools must promote digital literacy that includes ethical and healthy technology use. Parents should encourage time limits, outdoor activities and device-free hours at home. Policymakers and educators must invest in sports facilities, parks and school-based physical activity programs.
Artificial intelligence can assist learning – but it should never replace human curiosity, physical movement and real-world connection. If Pakistan’s youth grow up knowing more algorithms than games, more screens than skies, and more machines than people, the cost will be far greater than we imagine. The future of education must be intelligent – but it must also be human.
