Artificial intelligence in education (AIED) is an exigent topic of concern across educational settings. While artificial intelligence (AI) is not new, integrating it into K-12 schools has created a mix of positive and negative perceptions regarding how to do so effectively. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as an instructional tool in the secondary ELA classroom. The literature acknowledges the identifiable benefits and challenges of incorporating AI into K-12 education. Although many participants shared their hope and excitement about integrating instructional tools such as AI, there was much hesitation surrounding the issue. What the findings primarily revealed was a need for effective training for leaders, teachers, and students to integrate AIED. Such training could help address and mitigate other concerns in the data, such as ethical issues, reliability of technology, and alignment of the expectations of leadership and teachers regarding outcomes of AIED integration. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]