According to a recent survey released by Canva to commemorate Teacher Appreciation Week, many teachers who are feeling burned out from their daily tasks are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) tools as a means to work more efficiently and address their pain points. The survey, conducted in the US, found that 35% of K-12 teachers experience feelings of burnout on a daily or almost daily basis, while 83% experience it at least some days. The burnout is even leading teachers to consider making career changes, with 57% stating they have thought about quitting or switching schools, and 64% considering leaving the teaching profession altogether. Canva's Head of Teams and Education, Carly Daff, explained the significance of these findings, stating, "The stakes are high as our data found that burnout leads to absenteeism, reduced patience in the classroom, loss of job interest, diminished instructional quality and even thoughts of abandoning the profession. " The survey revealed that 55% of teachers reported missing school days due to burnout, while 53% felt overwhelmed, and 45% admitted that burnout has made them less patient with their students. AI tools have emerged as a potential solution for teachers to handle their daily tasks more efficiently and alleviate burnout. The survey found that already 42% of teachers have used AI in the classroom, with millennial and Gen Z educators leading the way at 49%. Newer teachers, defined as those with five or fewer years of experience, were the most likely to embrace AI, with 59% having already integrated it into their teaching practices.

This is in contrast to only 28% of teachers with over 20 years of experience who have used AI. Daff highlighted some common use cases for AI in education, stating, "At a high level, educators are using AI to refine learning materials, specifically in customizing lesson plans and classroom presentations. Some common-use cases are using AI to translate text, summarizing text, create data visualizations, and generate or edit art, photos, and videos to bring lessons to life visually. " The survey revealed that 92% of teachers using AI found it helpful in addressing their pain points, with 60% stating that AI could improve their work efficiency and 58% indicating that it helps alleviate feelings of burnout. Even among teachers who haven't yet used AI in their classrooms, there is optimism about its potential as a tool. A majority (56%) of these teachers believe that AI can help reduce burnout, with Gen Z and millennial teachers (63%) and those with five or fewer years of experience (75%) expressing the strongest belief in this notion. Looking ahead, 68% of teachers who haven't adopted AI expressed their likelihood of trying it for curriculum and planning purposes, with kindergarten and elementary school teachers showing the greatest interest at 72%. Daff concluded, "We're seeing teachers leverage AI's enormous potential in the classroom to enhance the quality of content they're creating and win back time for what they enjoy most: being creative and engaging with students. "