AI in Education: Friend or Foe?

Reading Time: 2.3 mins

April 30, 2026

Statistically, half the children in your classroom were using AI last year. Ofcom found that 50% of 8-17-year-olds claimed to use AI, with a significant increase in those using it for learning and schoolwork.

But it’s not just the students. The AI revolution has moved into the staffroom too. From 2023 to 2025, the percentage of teachers who said they had used AI has almost doubled, rising from 3 in 10 to 6 in 10. (National Literacy Trust)

50%

Of 8–17-year-olds claimed to use AI, with a significant increase in those using it for learning and schoolwork.

Source: Ofcom

6 in 10

Teachers said they had used AI, almost double the 3 in 10 who said the same in 2023.

Source: National Literacy Trust

With AI now part of daily life for half of pupils and teachers, this is not a futuristic talking point but a shared reality in today’s education. It raises the question, what are teachers missing if they don’t understand the tools their students or colleagues are already mastering?

As teachers and professionals, it’s not always easy to know how to approach AI in the classroom.

How do you talk about it with pupils, or set clear guidelines, when things are changing so quickly?
How do you encourage safe and responsible use without it becoming a substitute for thinking for themselves?
What ways are there for teachers to empower themselves with AI to provide dynamic teaching materials, deliver specialised support and reduce the ever-growing workload?

74%

With research from 2026 revealing that a staggering 74% of teachers in a UK survey have considered leaving the profession because of burnout, the prospect of AI as a workload reliever and time-saving tool is compelling, or perhaps, a valuable tool for improving teacher wellbeing

Source: NASUWT

To support you in answering these questions and to inform you on the risks and opportunities which AI provides today, you can join our comprehensive training, designed for professionals like you. We’re covering the good, the bad and the need-to-know including data considerations and the implications of banning AI usage in education.

Free* Training Webinar

7th may or 16th June 2026

3:45PM – 4:45PM

Artificial Intelligence in Education

Understanding Risks and Opportunities

Join us on Thursday, 7th May or Tuesday, 16th June at (3:45pm – 4:45pm) for our live webinar, ‘Artificial Intelligence in Education: Understanding Risks and Opportunities’.

Register Here

If you are a teacher, educator or safeguarding professional and your organisation is registered for Safer Schools, this training is provided completely free of charge to your whole staff team.

Register here for crucial information and practical steps to equip your team with the tools to manage AI risks and opportunities effectively.

*Training webinars are free of charge for staff members or professionals whose school or organisation is registered with Safer Schools. Not registered? Visit our website!

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