European teachers use artificial intelligence: Albania unexpectedly takes the lead

However, the level of usage varies greatly between countries.

According to the 2024 OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), Albania leads Europe in the percentage of secondary school teachers using AI, at 52%. At the very low end is France, at 14%.

On average, around 32% of teachers in the EU and 36% in OECD countries said they had used AI at least once in the 12 months prior to the survey. Uses included generating documents, suggesting decisions or supporting teaching and learning.

The survey did not show a clear geographical divide, but overall Western Europe was a more cautious user group. In contrast, many Western Balkan and Eastern European countries showed high levels of adoption.

Apart from Albania, the group of countries with a rate of teachers using AI of 40% or more includes Malta, Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Norway and the Flemish region (Belgium). On the other hand, Bulgaria, Hungary, Türkiye, Italy, Finland and Slovakia are among the least used.

UNESCO explains the gap by saying that national policies play a key role. Some governments have been quick to issue comprehensive AI strategies, including in education . Others have been cautious, especially with generative AI, leading to stricter regulations depending on the age of students.

Technological infrastructure, security firewalls, social attitudes and education sector regulations also contribute to the gap, the OECD representative added. A key factor is training. Countries with good AI training programs for teachers have higher adoption rates.

Experts Ben Hertz and Antoine Bilgin of the European Schoolnet education organization agree that the level of AI adoption reflects the educational culture and policy environment of each place. Limited infrastructure or unclear regulations make teachers more reserved. Conversely, in places with adequate training, AI is seen as a practical support tool, and the rate of use increases rapidly.

For example, in France, a new national AI training program is being launched in 2024 to improve the situation after a period of limited application.

According to the report, teachers use AI mainly for lesson preparation. Specifically, 65% of teachers use AI for research and summarizing content. 64% use it to prepare lesson plans or design classroom activities. Direct applications with students such as assessment, feedback or personalized instruction are less common. Many experts predict this will change as AI systems become more classroom-friendly.

However, they also warn that the expansion of AI applications must be accompanied by clear guidelines and ethical use. European Schoolnet predicts that AI will increasingly interact directly with students, such as suggesting appropriate exercises or providing real-time feedback. However, teachers will still have a central role to ensure professional control, ethics and care during the learning process.

UNESCO has stressed that AI should be a supplement, not a replacement for teachers. This is especially important given Europe’s chronic teacher shortages. Some education union representatives fear that relying too much on automated tools could lead to a long-term “de-skilling” of the teaching profession.

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