More than two in five teachers feel like they are “cheating” when using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for core teaching tasks, a new survey has found.
A YouGov survey commissioned by EdTech company Bett also found 44 per cent of teachers believe they are not doing their job properly if they use the technology.
Bett’s report said the findings “reveal a profession caught between enthusiasm for AI’s possibilities and concerns about its implications for authentic education”.
‘Emotional responses’ to AI usage
A YouGov survey of 1,023 UK teachers found almost half (49 per cent) of teachers now use AI at least monthly for teaching-related tasks. However, one third of teachers said they have still never used AI in their professional capacity.
But when asked about how they feel when they use the technology for core teaching tasks, 44 per cent of teachers reported they felt as if they were “cheating”.
Another 44 per cent said using AI made them feel like they weren’t doing their job properly, while 34 per cent said they feel inadequate compared to colleagues.
Over half of teachers (54 per cent) said they saw a clear divide in their schools between teachers confident with AI and those who were not.
A profession ‘in transition’
The findings show “a profession in transition, caught between the traditional pedagogical values and emerging technological possibilities”, researchers wrote.
Toolkits released by the government in June said it is essential that schools draw up an AI “vision”, using the technology for marking feedback, email writing and adapt materials for SEND pupils.
But schools were also told to plan for AI’s “wider use” in budget planning and tenders and to ensure safeguarding and privacy risks are monitored.
Research by the Sutton Trust published last month found an emerging “digital divide” between state and private schools, with private schools forging ahead on school-wide AI strategies.
Duncan Verry, portfolio director at Bett (pictured left), said: “This is not a battle between humans and machines, but rather teachers working with intelligent tools to achieve better educational outcomes.
“AI isn’t about replacing teachers. It’s offering them the chance to focus more on what they do best: inspiring, guiding, and nurturing young people’s minds.
“But as we all continue to manage this new AI environment, senior leaders must take decisive action to find budget, space and time to train their teachers about AI’s potential.”
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