Stanford study: 40% of 9K teachers now use AI in daily classroom routines

A Stanford University study tracking over 9,000 K-12 teachers using AI tools reveals that more than 40% have integrated artificial intelligence into their regular classroom routines. The research, conducted through SchoolAI platform data during the 2024-25 school year, provides the first large-scale behavioral analysis of how educators actually use AI in their daily work, moving beyond surveys to examine real usage patterns.

What you should know: The study categorized teachers into four groups based on their 90-day platform engagement, with sustained adoption rates exceeding typical software benchmarks.

• Single-Day Users (16%) logged in once and never returned
• Trial Users (43%) used the platform between two and seven days
• Regular Users (41%) engaged for eight to 49 days
• Power Users (1%) logged 50 or more active days
• About one-third of teachers stopped after their third day, but the 41% retention rate for regular and power users surpasses the typical 30% three-month retention benchmark for software adoption

The big picture: Teachers are primarily using AI during weekday mornings for active instruction and lesson preparation rather than after-hours planning, suggesting these tools are becoming integral to classroom workflows rather than supplementary resources.

How educators are using AI: Teacher productivity tools dominate usage patterns, with engagement shifting toward support features as educators become more experienced with the platform.

• Teacher productivity tools (lesson plans, quizzes) account for 37% of usage time
• Teacher chatbot assistants (grading, brainstorming, administration) represent 27% of activity
• Student chatbots designed by teachers comprise 23% of usage
• Power users dedicate more than half their time to teacher chatbot assistants
• Regular users start with more student chatbot focus but shift to match power user patterns by day 15, allocating nearly 70% of time to teacher-support tools

What they’re saying: Educators highlight the personalized learning opportunities AI creates for their students.

• “I’m able to create a space (which is like a Chatbot) that is very specific to the content or standard I’m teaching,” said Larisa Black, an Earth Science teacher at South Carolina Connections Academy. “Students can use that space to help them after school hours when studying or completing homework.”
• “We’ve had over 4,000 spaces created for students in the first five months of the school year,” noted Tom D’Amico, Director of Education at the Ottawa Catholic School Board in Canada. “That’s a lot of personalized learning that would not have taken place without AI.”

Why this matters: The research comes as policy discussions around AI in education lag behind actual classroom implementation, with teachers already using these tools during instructional hours for core professional tasks.

• Districts may need to address training, ethical guidelines, and data privacy in more structured ways
• The findings suggest AI adoption succeeds when tools integrate into existing routines and deliver immediate value during the busiest parts of the teaching day
• Support tools that reduce administrative burden drive deeper long-term adoption among educators

What’s next: The SCALE Initiative plans to continue tracking usage patterns and expand research into direct impacts on student learning outcomes, as the focus shifts from whether AI belongs in education to optimizing its implementation for teachers and students.