Artificial intelligence is already used by 80% of teachers in the United Kingdom in teaching-related activities, according to the survey "AI in Education 2026: Working it out", conducted by Bett UK in partnership with Lenovo. The survey polled 1,033 teachers between June 16 and 29, 2026, in a study conducted by YouGov and weighted to be representative of the British teaching population.

Weekly use of AI doubled in one year, rising from 26% in 2025 to 52% in 2026. Among teachers who use the technology, the primary application is the creation of lesson plans, worksheets, and other learning resources, cited by 76%. AI is also used to draft letters and emails to parents (39%) and student reports (39%). The use of AI for grading assignments remains limited: only 8% use the technology for this purpose.

The data in the report suggest a shift in teachers' attitudes toward AI: after a period of rapid experimentation and adoption, a more pragmatic view of its benefits and limitations is beginning to prevail.

“Teachers are using AI more than ever, but the enthusiasm surrounding the technology seems to be waning. They continue to use these tools, but they no longer expect as much from them,” says Duncan Verry, director of the Bett Portfolio .

• Download the full report here. 

Fewer working hours?

Despite productivity gains in specific tasks, the survey shows that AI has not yet significantly reduced teachers’ work hours. 51% say the technology has lightened their workload, but only 35% say they work fewer hours. Another 55% work the same number of hours.

Among regular users, the most common time savings amount to one to two hours per week. The data indicate that the time saved on certain activities is typically spent on other work-related tasks.

A difference emerges across age groups: 41% of teachers under the age of 35 say they work fewer hours thanks to the use of AI, compared with 26% of those over the age of 55.

See also:

• AI in schools requires more than just mastery of tools
• The Future Has Keyboards: What OpenAI's New Keyboard Means for Education

Expectations for usage are waning

The survey also points to a decline in expectations regarding the expanded use of AI. 47% of teachers expect to use the technology more in the coming year, compared to 68% in 2025. The percentage of those anticipating a significant increase fell from 15% to 3%. The data indicate a more pragmatic attitude among teachers following the rapid advance in adoption.

Training is still insufficient

Although 57% of teachers say their schools have already adopted AI for some purpose, 41% say they have not received any training or support from their schools on how to use the technology.

Among those who receive training, the frequency is also limited: 16% say they receive training once a year, and only 2% more than once a quarter.

Policies governing the use of AI are also not widely adopted. Only 33% say their school has a policy regarding staff use of technology. Another 48% say there is no such policy, while 19% are unsure. Even among those who work at institutions with established rules, only 18% say they understand them well.

AI Sparks Debate Over Evaluation

Academic integrity is another concern. 45% of teachers say that using AI for core teaching tasks would make them feel as if they were “cheating.”

Among students, 30% of teachers said they had suspected, in the four weeks prior to the survey, that at least one student had submitted work produced with unauthorized AI assistance. In secondary school, that figure rises to 57%, compared with 9% in elementary school.

Given this scenario, teachers also point to changes in assessment. 30% advocate keeping written assignments while using better AI-detection tools, while 29% prefer to replace them with supervised in-class writing assignments.

The results show that, although AI is already part of the daily routine for most British teachers, training, clear policies, and defining its uses remain key issues for its adoption in schools.

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