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A Gallup poll published Wednesday found that 30% of teachers are using AI weekly -- and that it's saving them "six weeks a year."
According to data from the 2024 to 2025 school year, 60% of K-12 teachers reported using some kind of AI tool in their work, most commonly to create worksheets or activities, personalize material to students' needs, and prep lessons. The study did not specify which AI tools teachers were using, referring to "chatbots, adaptive learning systems, or other interactive AI platforms."
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The study, conducted by the Walton Foundation alongside Gallup from March 18 to April 11, sampled 2,232 teachers in public K-12 schools in the US. Researchers estimated time saving by half-hour depending on the task in question.
That time saved -- what the report calls an "AI dividend" -- goes back to the student in the form of more attention and relationship building, according to the teachers surveyed. "Weekly AI users report reclaiming nearly six hours per week -- equivalent to six weeks per year -- which they reinvest in more personalized instruction, deeper student feedback and better parent communication," the study said.
What's more, educators in the study reported that using AI made their work better: as much as 74% for admin tasks and 57% more for grading. That takeaway was even supported by student feedback -- though 16% of teachers felt AI negatively impacted their work product.
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The study found that AI tools also help bridge existing gaps in education. "57% of teachers agree [...] that AI will improve the accessibility of learning materials for students with disabilities," the report said, adding that "special education teachers are even more likely to agree AI will yield this benefit (65%)."
The report noted that these benefits only occur for regular users, however. Teachers using AI tools less than weekly saw a significant dropoff in time saved compared to more active users.
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