Survey: Younger Educators More Likely to Embrace AI Tools -- THE Journal

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Survey: Younger Educators More Likely to Embrace AI Tools

By Rhea Kelly
07/17/25

While educators across the United States agree that AI has enhanced classroom engagement, enthusiasm for AI's benefits is strongest among young teachers, according to a recent survey from learning technology company D2L. The AI in Education survey polled 1,200 Americans, evenly split between the general public and education professionals, including K-12 and higher education teachers, professors, and administrators, to explore the perceived role for AI in today's learning environments.

Nearly nine in 10 Gen Z educators (88%) reported using AI in the 2024-2025 academic year, compared to 48% of Gen Xers and 19% of Baby Boomers, the survey found. And about two-thirds of Gen Z and Millennial educators (63%) said they believe AI will be "important or essential" to teaching by 2030, compared to just 48% of Gen X and Boomer-aged educators. Among all age groups, educators were three times more likely to say AI has enhanced rather than worsened classroom engagement.

"AI is revolutionizing education, but human connections remain at the heart of the learning experience. Educators and leaders seek tools that save time and enhance learning without compromising the personal bonds that drive success," said John Baker, founder and CEO of D2L, in a statement. "As younger educators embrace AI-native tools, they're eager to integrate them into classrooms while maintaining strong ties with students, and to free up time for more personalized feedback and group collaboration."

Additional survey findings include:

Educators' top two concerns about the increased use of AI in education were the loss of human connection, followed by student over-reliance on AI tools (making up a combined 52% of responses). Other concerns included privacy, decreased academic integrity, and equity issue (combined 40%). Just 10% of educators said they have no concerns about AI in education.
44% of educators said AI makes learning more efficient, but not necessarily more engaging or personalized.
65% of educators believe teachers, professors, and school administrators should be the primary decision-makers on AI adoption, while 13% favor state or federal government control.
24% of educators worry that using AI tools provided to them by their institutions could be tracked or interpreted as taking shortcuts.
Across all age groups, 54% of educators said they used AI tools in the 2024-2025 academic year, and 56% plan to use AI in 2025-2026. Top growth areas for AI use include: supporting students with accessibility needs, detecting plagiarism, and developing lesson plans.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

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