AI Won't Break Education. Failing to Prepare Teachers Might.

New Efekta survey finds 73 percent of U.S. teachers use AI, but training, guidance and successful school integration lag

SEATTLE, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Teachers are embracing artificial intelligence faster than many schools are prepared to support them, according to new research commissioned by Efekta Education, the AI-native technology spinout of EF (Education First). Efekta provides an agentic teaching and learning platform to governments, public and private school systems, universities and other education providers, building on 60 years of EF experience teaching millions of students across brick-and-mortar and digital schools. 

The survey of 500 U.S. teachers found that 73 percent use AI-powered tools as part of their teaching or professional practice, even as schools and districts continue to grapple with how AI should be used in education, with some of the nation's largest school systems imposing significant restrictions on its use.  

The broader U.S. and UK survey also found that teachers currently rely heavily on general-purpose AI platforms. Among teachers who use AI, 72 percent use ChatGPT, 48 percent use Gemini, and 35 percent use Microsoft Copilot, while only 19 percent use dedicated education or teaching-specific AI tools. At the same time, 44 percent of teachers believe current AI tools have not been designed with teachers in mind, compared with 24 percent who disagree. Efekta said the findings point to the limits of relying solely on general-purpose AI tools and the need for platforms built around pedagogy, curriculum, safeguarding and teacher workflows. 

Key U.S. survey findings 

• 73 percent of U.S. teachers use AI-powered tools as part of their teaching or professional practice, including 29 percent who use them regularly. 
• 50 percent have received formal training in using AI. 
• 70 percent have received encouragement, guidance or approval from their school, but only 40 percent say their school has successfully integrated AI tools. 
• 49 percent say government guidelines on AI use in education are not clear enough. 

Dr. Stefania Giannini, President of Government Relations and Research at Efekta Education and former UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, said:  

"Teachers should not have to make complex decisions about appropriate use, data privacy and safeguarding on their own. Efekta was born from more than 60 years of experience teaching students and working with teachers in classrooms around the world. That heritage has shaped our belief that education technology works best when pedagogy is built in from the outset and teachers are involved in shaping the tools they will actually use. Today we carry that principle forward: technology should strengthen teachers' professional judgement and expertise, not work around it."  

Efekta commissioned the research to understand how teachers are using AI now, where it is helping and what schools, districts and governments need to provide for safe and effective use. Much of the public debate has centered on whether AI could diminish or replace the teacher's role. Efekta's premise is different: the human teacher remains essential, and AI should give teachers better ways to plan, personalize learning, understand student progress and make informed instructional decisions. 

Student use makes that need more urgent. Ninety-three percent of U.S. teachers surveyed said they either know or suspect that students are using AI for lessons or homework. Schools are therefore managing AI use among teachers and students at the same time, often without a consistent framework. 

Efekta Education said the findings support five priorities for schools and policymakers: clearer government guidance; practical school-level policies; AI training as part of teacher professional development; careful evaluation of tools built specifically for education; and direct teacher involvement in selecting, testing and implementing AI systems. That means looking beyond both general-purpose AI and education products that simply layer pedagogical features onto existing models, toward systems designed around teaching and learning from the outset.   

Dr. Christopher McCormick, Chief Academic Advisor at Efekta Education, commented:  

"AI is already entering classrooms faster than many of the systems intended to govern it. The question is no longer whether teachers will use AI, but whether they are being given the right tools, training, and guidance to use it effectively. Schools now need practical frameworks covering approved tools, data and safeguarding, developed with meaningful input from the teachers who will use them. Technology should support teachers' professional judgement, not make critical decisions about teaching and learning for them." Efekta said closing the remaining gaps will require policies that address data privacy, safeguarding, transparency, the review of AI-generated outputs and appropriate use in teaching and assessment. 

The full survey report is available here.   

About the survey  

Efekta Education commissioned independent research partner 3Gem Research & Insights to survey 850 teachers aged 18 and older, including 500 teachers in the United States and 350 in the United Kingdom. Fieldwork was conducted from June 24 to July 2, 2026. This release reports U.S. findings only. Percentages refer to the surveyed sample or the relevant subgroup and may not total 100 percent because of rounding or questions that allowed multiple responses. 

About Efekta Education 

Efekta Education is an award-winning AI software company spun out from EF Education First. Efekta provides an agentic teaching and learning platform to governments, public and private school systems, universities and publishers. Its technology is used by more than 5 million active students and 250,000 teachers worldwide. The platform adapts to individual learner needs and supports personalized learning at scale. 

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SOURCE Efekta Education