Ludrick Cooper, an eighth-grade teacher in South Carolina, didn’t always like the idea of using artificial intelligence – in the classroom or otherwise. But he eventually came around.

“This is the new encyclopedia,” said Cooper, who loved reading encyclopedias growing up.

Cooper is just one of many teachers now incorporating AI into lesson plans, another sign that AI-powered tools are becoming more commonplace in the classroom even as the technology’s advantages and risks are still developing.

Six in 10 teachers said they used an AI tool for work in the 2024-2025 school year, according to a study from the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup.

On Tuesday, First Lady Melania Trump announced the Presidential AI Challenge , a push to encourage students in grades K-12 use AI to “address

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