Government-school teachers are ready for AI, survey finds

India's government-school teachers seem prepared for artificial intelligence, according to a recent survey. Conducted by JanAI, a program of the Head Held High Foundation, the study surveyed 797 teachers from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra. The findings indicate that 72% of teachers feel positive about AI, while 26% utilize it regularly.

This suggests that resistance to AI adoption in government schools may not be the primary hurdle. Instead, teachers require guidance and institutional support to use AI responsibly.

The report highlights that teachers currently access AI through personal devices, including mobile phones, even in schools without computer labs. The technology primarily serves as a teaching aid, with teachers using it to simplify complex concepts, generate examples and activities, and prepare worksheets and assessments. Grading and administrative tasks are among the least common uses.

Interestingly, concerns about AI replacing teachers are nearly nonexistent among the surveyed teachers. The primary concern is that students may become overly reliant on AI, with 86% of teachers who believe AI enhances their effectiveness worried about this possibility. However, 64% of teachers shared this concern.

Another significant worry revolves around privacy. Over half of the teachers who use AI tools have entered a student's name, marks, or photograph into an AI tool at some point. While individual teachers may feel confident about protecting student privacy, institutional support plays a more significant role in fostering responsible AI usage. School rules, state policies, training, and a designated point of contact for addressing issues can collectively influence teachers' behavior regarding responsible AI use.

The survey's findings have prompted JanAI to initiate a program aimed at building a community of 50,000 rural government-school teachers as AI change agents over the next 12 to 18 months. This program will operate on a state-by-state basis, taking into account the varying requirements of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra.

The teachers will act as local support points for their peers navigating AI adoption and encourage structured conversations around responsible use. Additionally, JanAI plans to continue the survey, tracking the same teacher population, expanding coverage to more states, and publishing updated findings quarterly as India implements its AI and Computational Thinking curriculum in Classes 3 to 12 from the 2026-27 academic session.