ABSTRACT

Purpose The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational environments offers significant potential for enhancing teaching and learning but simultaneously raises critical ethical and privacy concerns. This study investigates the relationship between secondary school teachers' knowledge and perceptions of AI ethics and privacy, and their actual use of AI tools in educational practice. Methodology Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 372 teachers in Catalonia, Spain, to analyze the factors influencing AI adoption in classrooms. A snowball sampling technique connected the participants, to fill a structured questionnaire. The responses were analyzed through descriptive, correlational, and predictive techniques using SPSS to investigate the relationships between variables and identify the factors influencing AI adoption among educators. Results The findings reveal a pronounced gap between general awareness of AI and its practical implementation: more than 70% of educators reported little to no experience using AI in their teaching despite moderate or high self-reported general knowledge. Notably, concerns related to academic integrity, such as plagiarism and diminished critical thinking, were negatively associated with the use of AI. These ethical concerns were especially prevalent among educators unfamiliar with advanced AI functions. The study also identified subject-specific trends, with teachers in STEM disciplines showing a greater likelihood of engaging with AI tools, particularly for simulations and code generation. Regression analysis confirmed that general AI knowledge was the most significant predictor of AI adoption, followed by awareness of classroom applications. Implications for research and practice The results underscore the urgent need for targeted professional development that combines AI literacy with ethical training, which can inform future educational policies and institutional strategies for responsible and effective AI integration.