Let’s face it. Slide creation is a time suck. Whether you’re prepping a lesson, professional development session, or workshop, staring at a blank Google Slide the night before is all too familiar.

In Episode 240 of the Shake Up Learning Show, I am sharing four free AI-powered tools that promise to generate slide presentations for you.

The results? Some surprising winners and a few flops. I tested them all so you don’t have to.

Here’s a breakdown of the tools, how they work, what they get right (and wrong), and my honest take as a tech-savvy educator.

Listen to this podcast episode:

AI-Generated Slide Decks for Teachers: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Below you can see the slides I created from one simple prompt. I wanted to see which apps performed the best with the least amount of time and work. The topic of the presentation was an author study on Edgar Allan Poe for 7th-grade ELA students.

ALL of the AI presentation tools used below have a FREE version!

SlidesAI.io — Simple, Fast Slide Creation in Google Slides

(free and paid versions available)

SlidesAI is a Google Slides add-on (also compatible with PowerPoint) that generates presentations from scratch with just a brief prompt.

👆 I’ve embedded the entire presentation (unedited, AI-generated) above.

✅ Pros:

Integrated directly into Google Slides
Easy-to-use 7-step slide generation
Customizable for grade level, tone, language, and timing
Auto-generates slides with text and relevant images

⚠️ Cons:

Limited features in free version (script import and source material require upgrade)
Formatting may need manual adjustment
Some generated content may not be appropriate for topic/grade level

🔍 Kasey’s Verdict:

Not perfect, but a great time-saver for teachers. Especially helpful when you’re short on time and need a polished first draft. Remember to review and make any necessary adjustments.

Gamma.app — Most Visually Impressive & Customizable

(free and paid versions available)

Gamma takes presentations up a notch with stunning visual variation and formatting. It’s more than just text on slides—it builds an actual presentation experience.

👆 Check it out! I’ve embedded the entire presentation (unedited) above. This is ALL AI-Generated!

✅ Pros:

Gorgeous design and layout options (timelines, cards, infographics)
Rich visuals with a clean aesthetic
Easy export to Google Slides, PowerPoint, PDF, or PNG
Best overall layout and content for minimal input

⚠️ Cons:

Free version limits slide count (typically 10–11 slides)
Might require a subscription for heavy users
Still needs reviewing for content accuracy

🔍 Kasey’s Verdict:

This was the standout winner for me. If you need slides that impress and engage, Gamma is hard to beat. I may even pay for this one!

Canva AI — Most Familiar, Least Content-Rich

Canva for Education is FREE for educators.

You probably already love Canva for creating graphics and slides. Their AI slide generation tool is now fully embedded into the platform, and it shows promise.

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Presentation – Edgar Allan Poe by Shake Up Learning (all AI-generated and unedited)

✅ Pros:

Built into Canva for Education (free for teachers!)
Generates designs and slides from a simple prompt
Adds visuals, timelines, and structure automatically
Familiar, user-friendly Canva interface

⚠️ Cons:

Content is thin (some slides only show a title and image)
No quotes or details unless you keep prompting the chatbot
Requires more back-and-forth with AI to refine

🔍 Kasey’s Verdict:

A solid option if you’re already using Canva. Visually polished, but you’ll need to fill in the blanks when it comes to academic depth.

*Related: Top 15+ AI Tools for Teachers

Brisk Teaching — Fast & Functional (But Very Basic)

(free and paid versions available)

Brisk Teaching is a Chrome extension that layers AI directly onto your Google Slides or Docs experience.

(Unedited, AI-Generated from Brisk Teaching)

✅ Pros:

Embeds into the existing Google Slides workflow
Fast generation with just a few clicks
Supports slide count selection and theme choices

⚠️ Cons:

The free version doesn’t support images.
Very basic output (black background, white Arial font)
No outline or content preview before generating

🔍 Kasey’s Verdict:

Consider this your emergency backup. It’s simple and fast, but lacks polish. Great for creating quick slide outlines.

Bonus Mentions (And Why They Didn’t Make the Cut)

MagicSchool.ai – Great platform, but the presentation generator is limited to plain text (no images or design elements).
Gemini (Google AI) – Can create slides, but struggles with formatting and adding images intelligently.
SlidesGo – More of a template source than a slide generator; didn’t deliver on promises.

Final Thoughts: What’s the Best AI Tool for Slide Creation?

Remember: AI is your assistant, not your replacement. These tools offer incredible starting points, but your teacher’s eye and voice are still essential!

Want to Go Deeper?

Join the All Access Membership at Shake Up Learning for full book studies, PD, resources, and more AI tips just like these:
👉 member.shakeuplearning.com

And if you try one of these tools—or find one you love—tell me about it! I’m always exploring new ways to help teachers save time and teach better.

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