Royal Society survey: only 14% of teachers confident in AI literacy

A Royal Society-commissioned Teacher Tapp survey found that only 14% of teachers in England are confident across all three areas of AI literacy, and just 18% have received AI-related training. The survey, covering over 9,200 teachers, revealed patchy curriculum coverage, with 37% saying AI literacy is not addressed at all. The Royal Society calls for AI literacy to be a cross-curricular responsibility.

This event directly affects the conditions for AI education in UK schools: low teacher confidence and lack of training hinder the quality and reach of AI literacy teaching. The Royal Society's research provides evidence for policy-making, potentially leading to a national framework that impacts teacher training, curriculum design, and resource allocation. The survey also shows students in disadvantaged schools receive less AI education, exacerbating the digital divide. Teacher training policies may be adjusted to increase AI literacy CPD opportunities, boosting teacher confidence. Curriculum design may integrate AI literacy across subjects, changing the current computing-centric approach.