Chinese art teachers who use AI more fear replacement more, a 381-teacher survey finds

The association between AI use and career exploration was strongest where teachers rated their institution as more ready for AI: negligible at low readiness (B = -.02), moderate at average readiness (B = .27) and larger at high readiness (B = .57).

The data cannot show cause and effect. Teachers already exploring other careers may be more inclined to adopt AI, and the survey did not measure why teachers explored, whether from threat or interest in growth.

Teachers rated AI adoption, substitution risk, job insecurity, organizational AI readiness and career exploration on 7-point scales across 22 items. Participants were recruited through personal contacts at selected universities, and respondents received a small gift worth 10 RMB. Data were analysed with a latent-variable structural equation model in Mplus 7.4.

Exploration was linked to substitution risk (B = .35) and job insecurity (B = .22). The authors interpret this through Conservation of Resources theory, with Career Construction Theory suggesting that exploration may reflect threat, growth or both.

The authors recommend that schools communicate AI's supportive role, invest in infrastructure and arts-specific training, and that policymakers add AI literacy to art teacher preparation. The paper was in revision at PLOS One, with the editor asking for changes on method bias and causal wording.