More and more teachers and students are using AI – even if it may do more harm than good

K-12 teachers and students across the country are increasingly using AI in and out of the classroom, whether that means teachers turning to AI to refine lesson plans or students asking AI to help them research a specific topic.

An estimated 85% of K-12 public school teachers recently reported using AI in the 2024-2025 school year, often for curriculum and content development.

In 2023, 13% of teenagers reported using ChatGPT to complete their schoolwork, while in 2025, 26% of them reported using ChatGPT for this purpose.

Likewise, in 2025, 86% of K-12 students reported using AI in general. An estimated 50% of students said they use it for school work, such as learning more about topics not covered in class, giving tutoring on specific topics, getting help with an assignment, or asking for college advice.

However, policies and training have not kept pace with the frequency of use by teachers and students.