## How Teachers Are Using AI to Do Their Jobs Better

Teachers everywhere are discovering that artificial intelligence can help them save time and do their jobs better. According to a brand new report from Jotform, which is a company that helps people build forms and organize information, about 65% of teachers are now using AI tools in their classrooms and offices. That's a huge number that shows how quickly AI is becoming an important part of education. The report surveyed teachers from both regular K-12 schools and colleges, and they all agreed that AI is helping them handle problems caused by budget cuts and stress.

Of the teachers using AI, almost half of them use it for two different purposes: helping students learn AND doing administrative tasks. Administrative tasks are the boring paperwork jobs that teachers have to do, like summarizing long documents and automatically giving feedback on student work. When AI does these tasks, teachers get back hours every week that they can use for actually teaching and connecting with their students. This is especially important right now because 56% of educators are very concerned about recent cuts to education money, and AI helps them do more with less.

## The Big Problem: Computer Programs That Don't Talk to Each Other

However, there's a major problem stopping teachers from working even more efficiently. Teachers are using an average of eight different computer programs to run their classrooms and do their work. Even worse, 73% of teachers say these programs don't work together well, and this is their biggest frustration. Imagine having to jump between eight different apps every single day just to get your job done. One teacher said, "The No. 1 thing I would like for my digital tools to do is to talk to each other. I feel like often we have to jump from one platform to another just to get work done."

Because of this problem, educators spend an average of seven hours per week doing manual work that could be automatic if their tools worked together. That's a whole workday every single week wasted because computers can't communicate. This is called platform fatigue, which means 50% of teachers are overwhelmed by having too many platforms. The good news is that companies are now working on solutions to make these programs connect and work as a team.

## Google Creates AI Agent Tools for Teachers

Google announced this week that it's making powerful AI tools available to more teachers and students at no extra cost. One of the biggest announcements is Google Workspace Studio, which is a new place where teachers can create, manage, and share AI agents. An AI agent is like a helpful robot assistant that can automatically do tasks for you. Teachers can create these agents to automate their work without needing to know how to code.

Google is also improving its Gemini AI tool to help students and teachers in many ways. For example, Gemini can now help students practice full-length SATs and has a new connected Classroom app that makes it easier for teachers to use AI in their classes. Google is also making sure that students and teachers can verify if a picture, video, or piece of writing was created or changed by Google's AI, so everyone knows what's real and what's made by artificial intelligence.

Teachers can also get help with creating quizzes and getting feedback from students, thanks to new features in Google Classroom that use AI. Google even partnered with Khan Academy, which is a famous free learning website, to power a Writing Coach with Gemini models. This means students can get AI help improving their writing.

## Sparkli: An AI App That Makes Learning Like an Adventure

A brand new company called Sparkli created an AI-powered learning app that makes education fun and interactive for kids ages 5 to 12. The app was founded by three people who used to work at Google: Lax Poojary, Lucie Marchand, and Myn Kang. They created Sparkli because they realized that their own children weren't excited by AI explanations that were just walls of text.

Sparkli uses AI to create interactive adventures called "expeditions" where kids can explore topics like how cars work, how rain happens, or what Mars looks like. Instead of just showing a picture or video like older technology, Sparkli lets kids interact and experience things in a way that feels real. When a child asks a question, Sparkli creates a complete learning experience with audio, video, images, quizzes, games, and choose-your-own-adventure stories.

One really cool thing about Sparkli is that it uses AI to create all the media content in just two minutes when a student asks a question. The company can make brand new pictures, videos, and lessons super fast. The app also includes streaks and rewards so kids get excited about coming back to learn more, just like the popular app Duolingo. Teachers can use a special teacher module to track how students are learning and assign homework.

## Safety and Quality in Education AI

Sparkli worked really hard to make sure kids stay safe while using the app. The company hired experts in education and AI to make sure the learning is real education, not just fun entertainment. When kids ask about dangerous topics like self-harm, Sparkli teaches them about emotional intelligence instead and encourages them to talk to their parents. The company completely bans certain types of harmful content.

The company is currently testing Sparkli in 20 schools with over 100,000 students, and teachers are giving it very positive reviews. Teachers are using it to start lessons and then having discussions with their students afterward. Some teachers also use it to give homework that lets students explore topics more deeply after learning about them in class. The company plans to let parents download the app by the middle of 2026.

## The Big Picture: AI Is Changing Education

All of these developments show that AI is becoming a normal part of how teachers teach and how students learn. Whether it's helping teachers save time with AI agents, creating new tools for classroom organization, or building completely new ways for kids to learn, AI is making education more personalized and effective. Teachers around the world are discovering that when AI is used correctly, it helps them focus on what really matters: connecting with students and helping them grow.