The more likely culprit would be repeated COVID infections themselves, known even in mild cases to cause damage to many body systems, including the neurological, rather than a month or two of remote learning. I'm not surprised at the widespread denial over this, honestly. It's bitter.
This generation of kids were fucked so hard by Covid and all the remote “schooling” and closing of public life.
AI rise happens to be happening when the kids who were just entering teens at Covid time are now going to school.