European teacher survey: AI use rises, but confidence in learning gains stays low

A new European teacher survey published on 24 September 2026 shows rapid growth in teachers’ use of AI, but much weaker confidence that general-purpose AI improves learning outcomes.

Sanoma Learning says more than 20,000 teachers across 14 European countries took part in its 2026 European Teacher Survey. Data collection was carried out by GfK, a NIQ Company.

The survey reports that 63% of teachers now intend to use AI when preparing learning materials, up from 49% across the 2023–2025 surveys. Confidence in using generative AI rose from 28% to 42% in the past year.

But only 16% of teachers say general-purpose AI improves learning outcomes. Between 75% and 93% of teachers, depending on the country, say AI used in education should be designed specifically for educational purposes.

The survey also links the issue to differentiation. It says teachers increasingly want to adapt learning to individual pupils, but time, workload and access to training limit what they can do at scale.

STATUS: COMPANY-PUBLISHED SURVEY / RESEARCH REPORT — NOT A GOVERNMENT REPORT, LAW, CURRICULUM RULE OR BINDING SCHOOL POLICY.

Source: Sanoma Learning, European Teacher Survey 2026, published 24 September 2026. https://www.sanoma.com/en/news/2026/nasdaq/european-teachers-are-adopting-ai-rapidly-but-want-tools-built-for-education/

Autism & Me note: Sanoma Learning is a commercial K–12 learning company. The figures are therefore presented here as company-published research, with the survey methodology and GfK data collection identified clearly.