Teachers’ Thoughts on AI (Artificial Intelligence)
How AI is Transforming Teaching and Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping education, offering tools that automate administrative tasks, personalize learning, and provide data-driven insights. But how do teachers feel about this shift?
According to a 2023 Pew Research Center Survey, 25% of public K-12 teachers say using AI tools in K-12 education does more harm than good. A recent survey conducted by Study.com shows that 43% of educators feel the program will make their jobs more difficult, while nearly 60% of educators predict it will make their lives easier.
Within two months of its introduction, 51% of teachers reported using ChatGPT, with 40% using it at least once a week, and 53% expecting to use it more that year (source: Impact Research via Walton Family Foundation).
As AI becomes more embedded in education, teachers are weighing the benefits and challenges. While AI can streamline grading, enhance accessibility, and support differentiated instruction, educators are also raising concerns about bias, ethics, and student dependence on AI tools.
What Do Teachers Think About AI?
Educators’ perspectives on AI in education vary based on their experiences, school policies, and comfort with technology. However, common themes have emerged from recent research and teacher interviews:
- Concerns About Equity & Bias – Teachers worry that AI tools may reinforce biases present in training data, leading to disparities in student outcomes. According to a Brookings Institution report, AI systems have been found to reflect racial, gender, and socioeconomic biases, prompting educators to call for greater transparency and ethical oversight.
- Impact on Student Thinking – While AI can assist with problem-solving and knowledge retrieval, some educators fear that overreliance on AI could weaken students’ critical thinking and creativity. One 2024 study in Turkish schools found that students who used ChatGPT as a tutor to practice math problems did worse in math tests than those who did not, with researchers concluding that the students were using the AI tool as a learning “crutch.”
- The Role of Teachers in an AI-Driven Future – Despite AI’s capabilities, most teachers believe that human connection remains central to education.
Hear Directly from Teachers
The debate over AI in education is ongoing, but the most valuable insights come from the educators who experience its impact firsthand. Below, you’ll find interviews with teachers across different grade levels and disciplines, sharing their thoughts on:
- How AI is reshaping their day-to-day teaching experiences
- The challenges and opportunities AI presents for student learning
- Ethical concerns surrounding AI in education
- Their hopes and fears for the future of AI in the classroom
Explore the interviews below to gain a firsthand look at how teachers are navigating the AI revolution in education.
I was in high school at the height of the AIDS crisis. And as a 13- and 14-year-old, I would sneak away into the city to meet up with this group of people, mostly gay men and Black women, who…
When I was a teenager, I had summer jobs as a custodian. It paid pretty well. So when I got to college, even though I was working as an office assistant in the pharmacy department, I decided to look for more hours cleaning schools. I figured I could do that until I got my degree in communications.
One of the differences between learning from an AI program and learning with a teacher in a dialectical manner is that you don't have that empathy, connection, dialogue.
All of our kids have so much potential and deserve for someone to have high expectations of them and to help them improve and grow, whatever that means for them.