Ludrick Cooper, an eighth-grade teacher in South Carolina, once opposed using artificial intelligence in his classroom. Over time, he changed his mind.
“This is the new encyclopedia,” Cooper said, recalling his childhood fascination with reference books.
He now joins a growing number of teachers who integrate AI into lessons. The trend shows how quickly schools adopt the technology, even as questions about its risks and benefits continue.
A Walton Family Foundation and Gallup survey revealed six in ten teachers used AI tools during the 2024-2025 school year.
On Tuesday, First Lady Melania Trump launched the Presidential AI Challenge. The program encourages students from kindergarten through twelfth grade to use AI for solving local community problems.
OpenAI introduced a “study mode” for ChatGPT and partnered with Instructure, a platform used by millions of students. Together with Microsoft and Anthropic, they committed $23 million with teachers’ unions to train 400,000 educators.
AI can make lessons more engaging and provide faster access to information. Yet experts warn of risks, including cheating, inequality and mental health concerns.
Sarah Howorth, associate professor at the University of Maine, compared AI to fire. She said people admire its potential while fearing its dangers.
AI in the classroom
Instructure, the company behind Canvas, is working with OpenAI on the “LLM-Enabled Assignment.” The tool allows teachers to create interactive, AI-driven lessons while monitoring student progress.
LLM stands for “large language model,” the technology powering ChatGPT. Teachers can ask AI to play roles that enrich lessons. For instance, a history teacher could prompt AI to act as a president or historical figure.
Melissa Loble, Instructure’s chief academic officer, said the partnership reflects a growing demand for more interactive and engaging learning methods.
Kayla Jefferson, a social studies teacher in New York City, uses AI to strengthen global literacy, increase student engagement and foster collaboration.
One assignment has students summarize and reflect on news articles using the AI-powered Padlet bulletin board. Students then read and respond to each other’s work.
AI also improves accessibility, Howorth noted. Features like talk-to-text and text-to-speech assist learners with vision problems or dyslexia.
Matthew Rascoff, vice provost for digital education at Stanford, emphasized that AI should promote social learning. Collaboration, he said, builds essential skills students can use in their communities.
“Great classrooms create a sense of mutual responsibility for everybody’s learning,” Rascoff said.
AI brings certain risks
Introducing AI in schools presents serious challenges.
The New York City Department of Education initially banned ChatGPT on school devices due to concerns about cheating. The ban was later lifted after officials admitted schools had been unprepared.
Instructure described its LLM-Assignment as a guided tool that discourages shortcuts and keeps students accountable.
Cheating is only one concern. The impact of AI on children’s mental health remains uncertain.
One mother accused startup Character.AI of influencing her 14-year-old son’s suicide. Families, including hers, have filed lawsuits.
An Instructure spokesperson said Canvas uses AI in controlled environments, with safeguards ensuring lessons remain relevant.
Still, limitations persist. Talk-to-text features can misinterpret stutters or strong accents, Howorth said.
Robin Lake, director of Arizona State University’s Center on Reinventing Public Education, warned about inequities. Poorer districts may struggle to access advanced AI tools compared with wealthier schools.
A national survey revealed large gaps in teacher training. High-poverty districts consistently reported fewer opportunities than wealthier counterparts.
“We must ensure disadvantaged schools gain access to AI’s advantages,” Lake said. “Privileged students currently receive better tools, stronger teaching and more opportunities.”
Some rural and urban districts said pressing challenges make planning for AI adoption difficult.
Not all teachers convinced
Despite AI’s growth, many educators remain skeptical.
Lauren Monaco, a veteran New York City pre-K and kindergarten teacher, called AI a crutch. She said teaching requires judgment and analysis that technology cannot replicate.
“Teaching is not just transactional input and output,” Monaco said. “Our profession has been under attack. I keep asking: Who benefits from this?”
Lake added that educators must prepare students for a workforce shaped by AI.
“What skills will students need to thrive in an AI-driven economy?” she asked. “Schools must begin preparing them today.”
