AI seems to be showing up everywhere right now – and if you’re a Teachers Pay Teachers seller, you’ve probably wondered at least once what that means for your store.
Every Facebook group seems to be talking about it, every business podcast is discussing it, and every week there’s a new tool promising to save you time, create resources for you, or completely transform your business.
If I’m being honest, I get the excitement.
I use AI almost every day in my business, but lately, I’ve noticed something that concerns me.
Some TPT sellers are starting to rely on AI for the very thing that makes their resources valuable in the first place: their expertise.
The TPT Resources Created by AI Are Starting to Look the Same
I’m in quite a few TPT Facebook groups, and recently I’ve seen more and more sellers sharing products that were clearly created primarily with AI.
The covers have that familiar AI look, graphics are feeling generic, and, while the activities are technically correct, they’re just missing something.
Teachers aren’t shopping on TPT because they want AI-generated content. They’re shopping on TPT because they want resources created by teachers who have actually been in the classroom.
That’s something AI simply can’t replicate.
I Tried Creating Teaching Resources with AI
People ask me all the time if I’m worried about AI replacing TPT sellers.
So recently, I decided to do a little experiment. I asked AI to create a simple kindergarten St. Patrick’s Day sight word maze.
A basic maze. Some sight words. A little clipart. A standard worksheet size. You would think that it would be easy…
Actually, it was pretty bad.
The result looked more like a rough draft than something I would ever sell or use with students. There was very little visual appeal, almost no differentiation, and none of the thoughtful touches that experienced teachers naturally add to their resources.
The funny thing is that I probably could have built the worksheet myself in PowerPoint faster than it took me to explain what I wanted AI to create.
That’s when it really hit me. AI isn’t replacing teachers because AI doesn’t think like teachers.
The Best Use of AI Isn’t What Most People Think
Now, before you think I’m anti-AI, let me be clear – I love AI.
I think it can save sellers a tremendous amount of time in other areas of their business.
If you need help brainstorming product ideas, organizing keyword research, summarizing data from your store, or looking for title ideas or ways to improve product descriptions, AI can absolutely help.
If you’re looking for practical ways to incorporate AI into your business without sacrificing quality, I’ve shared some of my favorite strategies in this post on how to use AI to grow your TPT business.
The Question About AI that Everyone is Asking
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
Will AI get better and more advanced? Absolutely.
In fact, it’s improving faster than most of us expected.
Five years from now, AI will probably be able to create things that seem impossible today. That’s just reality, but I don’t think that’s a reason to panic.
I think it’s a reason to become more intentional about what you’re creating.
Create Teaching Resources AI Can’t Touch
If I were building a TPT store today, I’d be asking myself one question:
“What value can I provide that goes beyond a basic worksheet?”
Think project-based learning, real-world application activities, video instruction, or lessons designed around the common misconceptions you’ve seen students make over the years.
These types of resources are harder to replicate because they’re rooted in classroom experience. They reflect the judgment, insight, and problem-solving skills that come from actually working with students.
Your Teaching Experience Is Still Your Greatest Asset
I think many TPT sellers underestimate how valuable their teaching experience really is.
You’ve spent years working with students, explaining complex concepts, adapting lessons when they weren’t working, and figuring out what truly engages learners. Those experiences have given you insights that can’t be replicated by a tool.
That’s why I don’t believe teachers are at risk of being replaced by AI anytime soon.
The sellers who will thrive aren’t necessarily the ones who completely avoid AI. They’ll be the ones who use it strategically while still creating resources grounded in real classroom experience.
At the end of the day, teachers come to Teachers Pay Teachers because they trust educators who understand their daily challenges. Technology may continue to evolve, but that trust – and the expertise behind it – isn’t going anywhere.
Ready to Build a TPT Store That Stands Out?
The best TPT sellers aren’t competing with AI – they’re using it strategically while doubling down on the expertise that makes their resources unique.
If you’re ready to create resources teachers actually want to buy and learn how to grow a profitable TPT business, I’d love to help.
Grab my free training here!
