Revolutionary or Risky?: How Educators Perceive and Use Generative AI (GenAI)

GenAI has experienced rapid growth and controversy over its benefits, drawbacks, and ethicality in education. This study examines Illinois educators’ attitudes and classroom use of GenAI across middle school, high school, and higher education. Data was collected through a digital survey containing quantitative and short-answer questions, yielding 330 respondents who were practicing teachers, along with five supplemental interviews. Preliminary results show that respondents ages 20–29 reported the highest understanding of how to use GenAI yet were also the most likely to express ethical discomfort, with 45.9% disagreeing that they feel comfortable using it ethically. While responses varied, educators generally viewed student use of GenAI more negatively and fearfully than teacher use. These findings deepen understanding of teachers’ current views and practices with this emerging technology and highlight the need for clearer guidance, professional learning, and classroom policies to support ethical GenAI integration.