AI Tools Can Support Teaching, But Schools Must Support Teachers First

When ChatGPT launched in late 2022, it reached 100 million users in just two months. Since then, AI has become a regular part of daily life and, increasingly, of schools. At the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego this year, teachers and students discussed how leaders can best prepare them to use these powerful tools to ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Six in ten teachers across the United States say they used at least one AI tool during the 2024-25 school year. Many researchers and education leaders attending ASU+GSV shared that schools have a real opportunity to use AI, but success hinges on whether these tools address teacher needs and whether schools offer the right support.

AI delivers value when it solves real classroom challenges

Teachers already face packed schedules, growing student needs, and limited resources. AI can help teachers save time and improve student outcomes, but that promise depends on how well these tools are integrated into teachers’ existing work.

The most useful applications of AI for teachers reduce their workload, align with clear instructional goals, and help address resource gaps that teachers are already navigating. Research suggests that AI can help teachers save the equivalent of six weeks of work in a year. That’s time teachers can put toward getting to know their students better, adjusting the ways they teach, and being more present in the classroom.

When rolling out AI, teachers need guidance and a voice

But even the best AI tools are only as effective as the guidance teachers receive and the policies schools put in place to support their use. In the 2024-25 school year, most teachers (68%) did not receive training from their schools or districts on how to use AI tools.

“The most important thing that administrators, and even at the district level, can do is help teachers understand what the guidelines and boundaries around AI are for the classroom.”

ZACH HRYNOWSKI, SENIOR EDUCATION RESEARCHER AT GALLUP

At the same time, guidance should not be imposed from the top down. Teachers know how students are using AI tools themselves, where schools are most under-resourced, and where new tools could create more work instead of less. If schools want AI to help as intended, teachers can’t just be on the receiving end of new policies.

“Teachers need a seat at the table. Teachers need to be involved in the planning. They need their voices heard, because they know what the day-to-day looks like.”

BRITNEY WRAY, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF AI-ENABLED INSTRUCTION AT LEADING EDUCATORS

Rolling out new AI tools in the classroom requires a strategy grounded in supporting teachers. Without clear expectations for how and when AI should be used, teachers and students may receive inconsistent messages about what responsible AI use looks like. In a recent survey, 41% of students said they believe their classmates are using AI when they are not supposed to, a sign that students need clearer boundaries and that teachers need the support to set and uphold them.

The Opportunity

AI has already made its way into classrooms. The question now is how schools can support teachers in using it effectively for themselves and their students. That means finding tools that align with instructional goals and help teachers use their time more efficiently, establishing clear expectations for classroom use, and creating space for educators’ voices as new policies are designed. With the right support, AI can reduce administrative burden, reclaim valuable time, and allow teachers to focus more fully on the human work of teaching.