Teachers Save 6 Weeks of Time Per School Year by Using AI

According to a new study, teachers who use AI can save 5.9 hours per week, equivalent to six weeks per school year. And that they can invest the time saved to do an even better job.

As the debate about students using AI rumbles on, it's interesting to know - thanks to a study from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation - that around two thirds of American teachers have used AI tools during the 2024-25 school year. High school teachers and younger teachers - those with five years or less experience - use the technology most frequently.

The study reveals that 37 percent of teachers say they use AI tools when preparing to teach at least once a month, making it the most common use of artificial intelligence. Other common applications that save them time include making worksheets (33 percent), modifying student materials to meet students' needs (28 percent), doing administrative work (28 percent), and making assessments (25 percent).

Teachers at schools that have an AI policy are more likely to use AI in their teaching than those at schools that do not (70 percent vs. 60 percent). In an indication of how educators need to do some catching up as regards certain modern realities, only one in five teachers (19 percent) work at schools with an AI policy.

The good news for students is that the qualitative data from the survey shows that teachers use the saved time to provide more nuanced student feedback, create individualized lessons, and write emails to parents. For some teachers, using AI also enables them to get home to their families at a more reasonable time.