Teacher conferences at this time of the year are usually dominated by talk of teacher pay and working conditions. However, this Easter, concerns relating to the use of AI in schools were high on the agenda across all teacher union conferences.
Artificial intelligence is now a live issue for all Irish schools, and many teachers feel that the education system is still catching up with the pace of change. Teachers at this year’s conferences have described the situation as uncertain. They acknowledge that AI may offer useful support, but there are serious questions about whether schools have the guidance, training, and safeguards needed to use it well.
The strongest concerns relate to assessment, particularly relating to the Senior Cycle project and coursework components. Both ASTI and TUI highlight that students sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2027 will complete Additional Assessment Components (AACs) worth at least 40% of the final grade in certain subjects, and many teachers expect real difficulty establishing whether work submitted outside class is fully the student’s own when AI tools can generate text and other content quickly and accurately. For teachers, this is not only about “cheating”; it is also about being asked to stand over grades without clear methods of verification. There are growing calls to consider assessment approaches that are more resistant to AI misuse, such as more supervised components, in-class evidence trails, and formats where students can demonstrate understanding directly.
Some teacher leaders have also raised bigger-picture concerns about the potential for AI to undermine professional judgment and reduce learning to a more automated, less human process. These concerns sit alongside the reality that teachers are already navigating AI in real time, often without proper training or agreed whole school approaches.
Importantly, teacher discussions are not all anti-AI. Many educators acknowledge that AI tools could help when used transparently and ethically, especially in reducing routine admin tasks and freeing teachers to focus more on teaching and learning. Many report that some assistant technologies aimed at streamlining planning and classroom processes are already being adopted by teachers successfully.
In response to this growing debate, the Department of Education has just announced an AI in Schools External Advisory Taskforce, designed to bring together key stakeholders such as teacher unions, management bodies, agencies and experts to examine implications for teaching, learning, and assessment when it comes to AI. Invitations are due to be issued this month, and the first meeting is expected in May 2026, with assessment identified as an initial priority. The department has indicated that the task force will help teachers and schools by giving practical guidance and support.
When launching this task force, the minister emphasised that AI is likely to be used by students regardless, but that schools should not be left to navigate this challenge alone. This seems to be a gradual shift away from ignoring AI in schools toward managing it responsibly.