Online language tutoring platform Preply has launched an AI-powered feature called Lesson Insights. It automatically summarizes lessons and generates personalized homework. The tool promises to save teachers time, but the update highlights a growing debate over student privacy and how well AI actually works in education. Parents and educators must now weigh convenience against potential academic and privacy risks.
What Happened
Preply uses OpenAI’s technology to change how students review their one-on-one lessons. With student consent, the platform records and transcribes live sessions, then generates a report within minutes of a class ending. According to the joint announcement by OpenAI and Preply, this report provides grammar corrections, vocabulary translations, pronunciation feedback, and study suggestions. This data then feeds into Preply’s engine to create automated homework assignments.
The Bigger Picture
While automated summaries sound convenient, educational experts urge caution regarding privacy and actual learning outcomes.
First, uploading student audio to third-party cloud servers raises legal questions. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), any digital transcript that identifies a student and details academic performance is an official "education record." According to legal analysis by Basil AI, uploading these records to external AI tools without explicit parental consent violates federal law. This exposes student data to commercial AI training models. Some institutions have already blocked these tools. Harvard University, for instance, banned AI meeting assistants unless they are specifically approved under strict university contracts.
Second, relying too heavily on AI for homework can harm academic performance. A study of over 26,000 students published by the Centre for Economic Policy Research revealed a "generative AI learning penalty." While students using AI finished homework 30% faster and scored higher, their exam scores dropped by 20% within six months. The researchers found that roughly 80% of students used the technology to outsource their active thinking, which caused long-term learning loss.
When used to support teachers rather than replace them, AI shows promise. As we previously reported, AI learning tools work best in human-led classrooms. A study of 635 middle schoolers published on arXiv.gg found that a hybrid human-AI tutoring model led to a 61% increase in standardized test growth compared to AI-only tutoring. Another study by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology found that a brief pre-lecture chat with an AI agent was just as effective as a human conversation at aligning student brain activity and increasing initial engagement.
What This Means for Families
For parents, AI is a helpful assistant but a poor substitute for real instruction. Automated summaries and AI-generated homework can keep students motivated, which Springer Link researchers found is a primary benefit of structured prompts. However, if students use AI as a shortcut to get quick answers without working through the material, their retention will suffer.
Families should also track where voice recordings and student data are stored. When using platforms like Preply, consenting to AI transcription means a child's voice and academic performance are processed by external corporate servers.
What You Can Do
First, check the privacy settings on any digital learning platform you use. If you are uncomfortable with third-party cloud processing, opt out of automatic lesson recordings and transcriptions.
Next, talk to your child about how they use AI. Ensure they use automated tools to understand concepts and check their work, rather than using them to bypass active learning.
Finally, when choosing educational technology, prioritize platforms that use AI to assist human tutors with administrative tasks, rather than those that attempt to replace human-led instruction entirely.