Teachers are getting more comfortable using AI – but it isn't helping lower their workload

(Image credit: Shutterstock ID 1547109278) 80% of teachers use AI, but only 35% work fewer hours and 55% work the sameIt's freeing up time that's then being spent on other workTechnology alone might not be enough to tackle excessive workloadsNew YouGov data has revealed around four in five teachers now use artificial intelligence at work, marking around a 2x increase over the past year.However, despite a clear appetite for the productivity-boosting tech, teachers aren't actually saving any meaningful time – only one in three (35%) said they were actually working fewer hours as a result of adopting AI, with more than half (55%) noting they were working the same amount of time.But crucially, that's not to say that artificial intelligence isn't saving workers time where it's being applied. They're just spending the time that they've already saved taking on other workloads, implying that teachers have long been overstretched.AI is helping teachers catch up with workTeacher workload is already a major issue in the UK, where the study of 1,033 workers was conducted. Some of the most common use cases where AI is helping to free up some time include producing lesson plans and worksheets (76%) and drafting letters and emails to parents or writing pupil reports (39%).Importantly, with just 8% using AI to mark students' work, it's clear that they're focused on using AI to speed up administrative workloads rather than replacing the highly skilled work they trained for.However, there's still some concern about how AI may be impacting student learning. More than half (57%) suspect at least one of their students of submitting AI-assisted work in the past month without the teacher's permission.Ultimately, the findings paint a complicated picture whereby AI could be both improving and damaging education at the same time, and the government is clearly still working out how the technology can best be positioned to have a positive impact on all.Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!