AI usage low across the education sector, yet teaching employers and professionals open to embrace AI

Almost a third (32%) of professionals believe AI tools like ChatGPT won’t impact their job at all 62% of employers say they do not have the right skills in their workforce to best utilise AI.

• Half (50%) of teaching employers think we should embrace AI in the workplace, with slightly fewer teaching professionals who feel the same (44%) – this is lower than the overall UK average (56%)
• Majority (81%) of education organisations say they are not currently using AI tools
• Only 9% of teaching professionals say they have used an AI tool in their current role    
• Nearly a quarter (23%) of teaching professionals expect AI tools will positively impact their job

According to new research, both teaching employers and professionals are open to embrace the positive impacts that AI can bring, rather than fear it, but skills shortages are an obstacle as current usage remains low.

Research conducted by Hays, which received over 8,800 responses from professionals and employers across the UK, and nearly 700 respondents within education, found that 50% of teaching employers think we should embrace AI in the workplace.

41% of teaching employers are undecided if we should embrace AI, whilst only 9% of employers think it should be feared. Teaching professionals share a similar sentiment but are slightly more apprehensive, with 44% saying we should embrace AI in the workplace, 42% who are unsure and 14% who believe it should be feared.

AI not currently required in teaching organisations

Majority (81%) of teaching organisations say they are not currently using AI tools such as ChatGPT. As it stands, the main cited reason for not utilising AI tools is that it’s not required (33%), followed by a gap in knowledge and a lack of awareness or understanding of the benefits (29%).

Looking ahead, more than half (56%) of education employers intend to allow staff to use AI tools like ChatGPT but will monitor usage and 12% will allow staff to use AI unmonitored. Nearly a third (29%) of employers anticipate they will ban AI tools.

Usage of AI tools remains low amongst teaching professionals

Only 9% of education professionals say they have used an AI tool in their current role, with this figure increasing to 15% for professionals aged between 20 and 29. The research revealed that AI is used significantly more in other professions, such as marketing (37%).

Nearly a quarter (23%) of education professionals expect AI tools will have a positive impact on their job, whilst 14% believe AI will negatively impact on their role and close to a third (32%) of professionals are confident tools like ChatGPT won’t impact their job at all.

Over a third (37%) of professionals feel they do not possess the right skills to enable them to make the best use of AI tools and technology.

Upskilling needed to support wider use of AI

When it comes to being equipped to utilise AI, over half (62%) of teaching employers say they do not have the right skills in their workforce to make the best use of AI tools and technology. For those employers who said they are experiencing skills shortages, 41% said both technical and soft skills are lacking and 41% also said it was mainly technical skills needed to use specific AI tools.

So far, 22% of education employers say they are investing in training for staff to upskill in AI tools and technologies. However, many (64%) education professionals say their employer is not helping to prepare them for the use of AI in the workplace; their preferred way for organisations to support their upskilling in AI tools and technologies is by investing in training (48%).

Paul Matthias, National Director at Hays specialising in Education, comments:

“As our research indicates, attitudes towards AI in the teaching profession are varied, but more educationemployers and professionals are open to embracing AI in the workplace rather than fear it. 

The uptake of AI remains low whilst employers across all sectors, including education, work out how AI might benefit their organisations. Cost savings and improved productivity were cited as the main benefits AI could offer teaching organisations. However, there is clearly a bridge to cross when it comes to employers investing in training to support staff to upskill in AI tools and technologies. Training opportunities are important for not only assessing the benefits associated with AI, but also the risks.

Although AI usage is minimal within the teaching profession, we should remain cautious of the growing number of students using AI tools, such as ChatGPT, and consider how to respond to these rapidly evolving technologies to ensure they do not have negative implications on a person’s education. The teaching sector must adapt to both new opportunities and challenges in today’s digital age.”