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Teachers Pay Teachers, a popular online marketplace among teachers for classroom resources that critics say are sometimes of dubious value, plans to ban AI-generated resources from its site.
The platform’s announcement of the changes in a town hall last week comes after Chalkbeat reporting uncovered examples of what appear to be AI slop, or low-quality AI-generated content, listed for sale. Among the resources available on the platform, also known as TPT: an alphabet coloring worksheet missing the letter F, a poster about the Black inventor of the potato chip with a baffling image of a firefighter and a stoplight, and typos aplenty.
YouTube creators who advertise themselves as coaches for TPT creators have encouraged the use of AI to streamline what has become a side business for many teachers and non-teachers alike.
While TPT’s role in the creation of teaching content and resources has long been controversial, the growth of AI-generated resources added another layer not just to debates about the quality of resources on the site, but the place those resources have in schools. Some teachers say it can help facilitate lesson planning, but skeptics argue using it sacrifices instructional value for efficiency.
The platform’s move to ban AI follows new requirements TPT announced for certain sellers to offer their content exclusively on TPT.
Sarah Lehman, a spokeswoman for TPT, said the forthcoming AI policy will support educators “in keeping teachers’ expertise at the heart of the marketplace.”
Material from sellers “should be unique, expertly crafted, and AI-free,” she wrote in a statement. “Additionally, we’re building tools that will speed up our ability to identify and remove AI-generated resources from TPT.”
But TPT’s move to ban AI-generated resources has drawn protests, including an online petition. Posts on Facebook groups for TPT sellers in recent months have lamented a crackdown on stores that appear to use AI in creating content to sell on the site.
The new AI policy was announced not long after another earthquake in the world of TPT sellers.
TPT has also come under fire for changing its structure for paying sellers by creating a new membership tier where sellers can receive a higher cut of sales than basic sellers, but have to pay a $60 monthly fee and agree to other requirements.
Some sellers have singled out a new requirement that they sell their resources exclusively on TPT.
Nicholas Ferroni, a high school teacher in New Jersey with a large online following who has used TPT as a buyer and seller, said the change is a slap in the face for teachers. Some former educators he knows have transitioned to selling materials on TPT for their livelihood. Ferroni said the move feels like it’s geared towards helping the company, not sellers.
“I definitely think it just comes down to TPT just wanting to make more profit and wanting to obviously increase their company’s value and not take into consideration that they would not exist or be in the position they are without the work,” Ferroni said.
Lehman confirmed the site has “adjusted its Seller programs.” On TPT’s website, a Q&A says the changes are in response to “a growing dynamic impeding the expansion of the marketplace: TPT resources are being increasingly sold on sites outside of TPT.”
Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org. Lily is on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.