Preparing future educators for AI-enhanced classrooms: Insights into AI literacy and integration

The rapid transformation of educational practice by artificial intelligence (AI) requires that teacher-education programmes prepare pre-service teachers to integrate AI into their teaching. This qualitative study explores pre-service teachers' perceptions of AI integration in education and identifies the support they need to develop AI literacy. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 pre-service teachers and used thematic analysis to interpret the data. Our findings revealed that these future educators recognised AI's potential to enhance personalised learning and increase classroom efficiency but worried about relying on AI too much and losing the human element in teaching. The participants also highlighted significant challenges in developing AI literacy, including insufficient training and a lack of institutional support in their programmes. The need to maintain data privacy and protect against algorithmic bias emerged as critical areas of concern. This study underscored the urgent need for comprehensive AI literacy curricula in teacher education that encompass both technical skills and ethical understanding. We recommend that educational institutions provide practical AI experiences, establish clear ethical guidelines and offer continuous professional development opportunities. By addressing these needs, teacher-education programmes can prepare future educators to leverage AI technologies to enhance educational outcomes. Copyright © 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.