Teachers in crisis: AI use endangers student skills!

Teachers in crisis: AI use endangers student skills!

A current study by the Robert Bosch Foundation, published on June 25, 2025, takes a critical look at the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the German education system. Loud uni-potsdam.de Teachers feel increasingly insecure when dealing with modern technologies. Professor Dr. Dirk Richter from the University of Potsdam emphasizes the need to reduce these uncertainties.

The study results show that 62% of teachers feel unsafe when dealing with AI. This uncertainty means that a third of them have not used AI tools in the last year. Among teachers who have used AI tools, 58% use them for assignment creation and 56% for lesson planning. Only 6% use AI tools for performance assessments and 3% for analyzing learning data.

Focus on student skills

A central concern of the teachers is concern for the social and communicative skills of the students. 61% of those surveyed see these skills at risk, while 60% fear a decline in critical thinking skills. Dr. Dagmar Wolf points out that further training opportunities for teachers are urgently needed in order to meet the challenges with AI in education.

This problem is exacerbated by the fact that most German schools are still lagging behind when it comes to digital equipment. rnd.de reports on a Digital Pact 2.0 that aims to promote AI-supported learning systems, but is viewed as inadequate.

Democracy education and structural challenges

Another important aspect is democracy education in schools. Over half of teachers would like to see more support for this topic, but see significant hurdles, with 77% citing a lack of teaching time as the biggest obstacle to this. In addition, 45% complain about a lack of specialist knowledge among colleagues.

The German School Barometer collected important data in this current survey of 1,540 teachers between November 11th and December 2nd, 2024. The study aims to identify developments in the education system at an early stage and to derive appropriate recommendations for action. Teachers in eastern Germany often report disinterested colleagues and are concerned about possible conflicts, which further strains the educational culture.

Looking into the future, it becomes clear that integrating AI into teaching not only offers educational opportunities, but also poses serious challenges. The ki-campus.org highlights the urgency of taking appropriate measures to support teachers and prepare students for the digital age. The development of the educational landscape will continue to be a central part of the political and social discussion in the coming years.