Artificial intelligence (AI) is exerting an increasing impact on various aspects of everyday life, as it is integrated into a variety of applications. It is commonly accepted that the use of AI applications requires a certain level of competency in AI that allows for a critical evaluation of the potential and limitations of AI applications. Worldwide, researchers define AI literacy as a set of knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable citizens to critically evaluate AI technologies, communicate and collaborate using AI, and use AI as a tool online, at home and in the workplace without being experts in AI. The field of AI literacy is the subject of increasing research, and many efforts have been made to develop tools to assess individuals' AI literacy.

At the same time, researchers define the term “AI anxiety” to refer to feelings of fear or discomfort about the out-of-control AI. It can be defined as an overall emotional reaction of anxiety or fear that prevents the person from interacting with AI. Until now, few studies have assessed “AI anxiety” in the public.

The aim of the present study is to investigate and discuss dimensions of primary school teachers' literacy and anxiety concerning AI. The research instrument was a questionnaire constructed based on, utilizing and adapting the theoretical framework, dimensions and questions of the SNAIL questionnaire (TUCAPA's AI literacy model) and the AIA scale.

The SNAIL questionnaire is used to assess non-expert AI literacy by outlining the TUCAPA AI literacy model. Questions based on the dimension “Critical appraisal” (10 questions reflecting competences related to the critical evaluation of AI application results) and questions based on the dimension “Practical application” (7 questions related to examples of AI-supported applications or the evaluation of whether a problem can and should be solved by AI tools) were used.

The AIA scale explores perceptions of the psychological consequences of AI development in relation to subsequent behaviors in individuals and is considered as a general perception or belief with multiple dimensions. Twenty (20) questions based on the four (4) dimensions of the AIA scale (“Learning”, “Job replacement”, “Sociotechnical blindness” and “AI configuration”) utilized.

Fifty-two (52) primary school teachers, who were attending the postgraduate program "Education and Technologies in Distance Teaching and Learning Systems", responded to the questionnaire.

The results showed low levels of AI application use, moderate AI anxiety levels for all four dimensions of the AIAS scale (with the lower values concerning the “Learning” dimension and the highest values concerning the “Job replacement” and “Sociotechnical blindness” dimensions) and moderate levels of AI literacy with the values concerning “Critical Appraisal” to be higher than the values of “Practical Application”. Statistically significant correlations derived only among dimensions for each scale. Statistically significant differences derived concerning the sex of the participants and their training in the use of ICT tools. Men use AI tools more often and feel more “Job replacement” AI Anxiety than women. Participants with training in the use of ICT express higher values for “Critical Appraisal” and “Job replacement” AI Anxiety.

Keywords: AI Literacy, AI Anxiety, teachers, primary school.