Prevailing Sentiments Among Bulgarian Teachers and University Professors Towards the Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education

This study aimed to investigate the prevailing attitudes among Bulgarian educators towards artificial intelligence (AI) and its integration in education. The data was aggregated through an online survey with 3195 teachers and university professors from all levels of education in all 28 districts of Bulgaria. The participants were aware of the challenges that the existing educational system would be confronted by the implementation of AI tools. They expressed moderate views on the benefits and negative effects of AI utilization. The level of familiarity with AI and favorable inclinations towards AI emerged as significant predictors of the use of AI, with a coefficient of determination R-square = 43.41%. The university instructors and the youngest participants were the most familiar with AI tools and reported the most frequent use of AI in their teaching practice. The participants were concerned about the lack of foundational knowledge and skills and stressed the need for training in AI technology. They outlined the risks associated with the unethical use of AI and the need for technical and methodological guidelines for student assessment.