Arizona is first in the nation for percentage of students using AI as learning tool

More than 170,000 Arizona students – 16 percent - using AI tutoring

(PHOENIX) - Arizona is first in the nation in the percentage of students using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, according to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. More than 170,000 Arizona students are now using AI-powered tutoring to enhance their academic performance. That figure represents 16 percent of all public school students, and it is expected to grow.

Horne said, “Having more than 170,000 students already signed up for tutoring through Khanmigo, the premier AI education system in the country, is a significant milestone for education in Arizona. Our state has the highest rate of usage by percentage of student population among all states. That is a tremendous accomplishment.”

Last year, Horne directed the Arizona Department of Education to invest $1.5 million to help schools access Khanmigo, an AI tutoring system designed to promote active learning.

He explained, “Khanmigo does not simply provide answers.  It engages students by asking questions that guide them to discover solutions on their own. This approach delivers rigorous, individualized Socratic-style tutoring — a proven method for improving academic outcomes.”

Horne also highlighted the Department’s efforts to support educators through the Arizona Digital Educators Library (ADEL), an online AI platform designed to assist teachers in creating lesson plans and developing classroom materials aligned with Arizona’s academic standards. ADEL has enrolled over 4,000 users, along with 50 ambassadors charged with extending the reach of the platform across Arizona.

Horne concluded, “I am a strong supporter of AI as a classroom tool to assist, but not replace, educators. So far, about 4,000 educators statewide are using this system, and I encourage more teachers to sign up. It is an invaluable resource that helps educators do their jobs more effectively.”