Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become widespread at all levels of education. AI in education (AIEd) refers to a wide range of systems and tools that mimic human intelligence and serve various educational purposes, such as teaching assistants, course creation tools, chatbots, image and video generation, audio, research, animation, text-to-speech, presentations, and so on. Understanding teachers' perceptions of AIEd is essential for its effective integration into the education system.

About the survey  

The present survey about AIEd is an overview of teachers’ use of AI and examines how AI can effectively support teaching. The survey was conducted by the Greek Safer Internet Centre of FORTH in collaboration with the Safer Internet Centres of Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, and Armenia, and with the support of the European network of Safer Internet Centres. It therefore represents a significant international effort.

The study took place between October 2023 and March 2024. It was performed through an online questionnaire and attracted 1,754 responses from all participating countries. All questions and responses in the questionnaire were provided in the national language of each country to ensure a maximal level of clarity and understanding for all participants.

The questionnaire was divided into three thematic parts. The first focused on gathering demographic information about the educators, including their experience, the grades they teach and their place of residence. The second part of the questionnaire explored the current landscape of AIEd. Educators were asked about the integration of AI tools into their teaching practices and their individual comfort levels with AI technologies. This part also explored the perceived benefits of AI in enhancing teaching and learning experiences, as well as the challenges and barriers educators face. Finally, the third part focused on the future of AIEd and its potential to transform teaching and learning. 

Key findings  

The main findings of the survey are as follows:  

Current understanding and use: Educators in most countries surveyed report a solid understanding of AI technology and acknowledge its potential risks. Most educators from Greece, Ireland and Armenia report using AI tools in the educational process. AIEd is mainly used to support and train educators (Greece, Hungary, Ireland, and Latvia), but also to engage students in the classroom, for minimal use in administrative functions, and to go deeper into the lesson while entertaining students (Armenia). In terms of student use, educators reported that students mainly use AI to manage their academic workload, for example, completing homework effortlessly. Outside of school, educators report that AI tools are mainly used by students for entertainment (Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, and Armenia). Educators also express concerns about the impact of AI on fostering critical thinking and exposing students to biased data for all countries.

Risks: When considering whether they are aware of the risks to students associated with this technology in all countries, most educators are aware of the risks and raise ethical concerns. In terms of specific risks, in all countries the main risk identified is that students tend to trust the information they find without applying critical thinking. This is followed by students being exposed to biased, inaccurate or harmful content. Educators from Greece, Hungary, Ireland, and Armenia also draw attention to the fact that students are using AI to create and then share material (for example photos and videos) that have been manipulated with AI tools, which of course raises the issue of ethical use of AI. Additionally, educators in Ireland are concerned about students being exposed to biased, inaccurate or harmful content. Overall, most educators using these systems agree that there are mechanisms in place to ensure that personal and sensitive information is adequately protected.

Benefits: According to our survey, educators unanimously believe that one of the positive impacts that AI will have in the future is its potential to support the work of educators. Another positive impact they foresee is its potential to facilitate personalised learning experiences for students. In addition, most teachers believe that AI will reduce their administrative tasks, allowing them to spend more time teaching and mentoring students.

Concerns and ethical issues: Despite their optimism, educators in all countries express significant concerns about the impact of AI on fostering critical thinking (Greece 63 per cent, Hungary 64 per cent, Ireland 70 per cent, Latvia 76 per cent and Armenia 46 per cent) and raise ethical concerns about the potential misuse of AI and exposing students to biased and inappropriate information. Therefore, educators emphasise the need for professional development to increase their knowledge and skills through training seminars, workshops, and specialised online courses to effectively integrate AI into their teaching practice (Greece 88 per cent, Hungary 67 per cent, Ireland 99 per cent, Latvia 80 per cent and Armenia 89 per cent).

Greek data analysis: A deeper analysis of the Greek data shows that younger educators are more likely to be tech-savvy and have experience with AI tools. Gender also influences familiarity with technology, with male educators being more familiar with technology tools, while female educators have experimented more with AIEd tools.

Overall, the findings highlight a cautious optimism among educators about the integration of AI in education. There is a clear need for targeted professional development to address their concerns and improve their skills in using AI tools effectively. 

Find more information about the work of the Greek Safer Internet Centre, the Hungarian Safer Internet Centre, the Latvian Safer Internet Centre, the Irish Safer Internet Centre, and the Armenian Safer Internet Centre, including each centre's awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.