Regulating AI in education and empowering educators:
Policy, governance, and ethical considerations

The growing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education presents both transformative opportunities and complex challenges.

AI tools are increasingly shaping teaching, learning, and assessment practices across all educational levels.

There is a need to critically examine how AI affects educators’ autonomy, learners’ development, and institutional governance.

This presentation aims to explore how educators can be empowered while ensuring that AI in education is ethically and responsibly regulated.

It integrates theoretical perspectives, practical experiences, and policy considerations relevant to the Philippine educational context.

The discussion focuses on balancing innovation with human-centered values in a mission-driven educational framework.

The talk is organized around the dual nature of AI, the Ext2AI framework for digital citizenship, and key governance issues.

Each section develops the argument that educators must be active agents in shaping the ethical use of AI.

The conclusion offers actionable recommendations for policy, governance, and teacher empowerment.

AI enhances teaching and learning by personalizing instruction and providing data-driven insights into student progress.

It supports diverse learners, including those with special needs, through adaptive technologies and inclusive applications.

It enables teachers to innovate with interactive and multimodal learning experiences.

Automation of poor pedagogical practices risks devaluing the teacher’s professional judgment and creativity.

Biased datasets and opaque algorithms can reinforce discrimination and misinformation in educational systems.

Overreliance on AI can shift the focus from holistic education to measurable outcomes, undermining humanistic values.

Every technological advancement, like AI, has two faces: benefits and risks that must be anticipated and balanced.

The educator’s ethical awareness is key to determining whether AI serves or harms educational integrity.

Teachers must act as reflective practitioners who mediate between technological promise and pedagogical purpose.

The traditional “Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship” provide a human-centered framework for responsible digital participation.

Extending these elements to AI contexts (Ext2AI) offers a comprehensive model for ethical and informed engagement.

The framework situates digital citizenship within AI literacy, ethics, and empowerment.

Digital Access: Educators must ensure equitable access to AI tools and resources for all learners.

Digital Commerce: Teachers must guide students in responsible participation in AI-mediated online transactions.

Digital Communication and Collaboration: Educators should model ethical and transparent communication in AI-enhanced environments.

Digital Etiquette: Respectful and empathetic behavior must extend to interactions with and through AI systems.

Digital Fluency: Students and teachers need the critical ability to discern factual from manipulated AI-generated content.

Digital Health and Welfare: Balanced screen time and awareness of psychological impacts are essential for well-being.

Digital Law: Schools must establish clear rules governing intellectual property, data use, and algorithmic accountability.

Digital Rights and Responsibilities: The freedom to use AI comes with the duty to uphold equity and inclusivity.

Digital Security and Privacy: All stakeholders must understand how to protect personal data and prevent misuse of AI technologies.

Institutions should integrate AI and digital literacy programs into teacher training and curriculum design.

Educators need ongoing professional development to stay adaptive and critical toward emerging AI tools.

Reflection and dialogue on digital ethics should become regular components of school and classroom culture.

AI-generated deepfakes and non-consensual media threaten privacy and trust in educational communities.

Digital literacy and skepticism are vital to helping learners recognize manipulative or harmful AI outputs.

Educators must lead conversations that demystify AI and promote ethical digital behavior.

AI systems replicate the biases embedded in their training data, influencing the objectivity of educational content.

Teachers must be aware of AI hallucinations and teach students how to evaluate sources critically.

Transparency about data sources and algorithmic processes is essential for ethical AI use.

The computational demands of AI contribute to high energy consumption and environmental impact.

Educators should include discussions on sustainability and climate ethics in digital literacy programs.

Policy frameworks must encourage energy-efficient and environmentally responsible AI development.

AI use raises questions about authorship, ownership, and data privacy in academic settings.

Teachers must model respect for intellectual property and data consent when using AI-generated materials.

Institutions should develop clear policies that define ethical boundaries for AI-assisted academic work.

AI tools can generate essays, code, and artwork that students might misrepresent as their own.

Educators must redesign assessment strategies to emphasize process and originality.

Awareness, detection tools, and formative assessments can mitigate AI-assisted academic dishonesty.

Educators play a dual role: to leverage AI’s benefits and to guard against its ethical risks.

Empowered teachers can shape AI use to support human-centered learning rather than replace it.

Institutional governance should recognize teachers as key stakeholders in AI policy formation.

Policies should promote transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in AI integration.

Collaborative frameworks between government, academia, and industry can ensure responsible AI deployment.

Governance structures must evolve to reflect both technological advancement and educational mission.

Education must remain grounded in ethical values, creativity, and empathy, even in an AI-driven world.

AI should serve the broader mission of human development and democratic participation.

Empowering educators through knowledge, trust, and policy ensures that AI strengthens rather than weakens the teaching profession.

AI in education offers great potential but demands ethical vigilance and balanced governance.

Empowering educators is the most sustainable approach to regulating AI responsibly.

Digital citizenship, extended through the Ext2AI framework, provides a practical model for achieving this balance.

Educators, policymakers, and technologists must collaborate in shaping an ethical AI future.

Continuous dialogue and critical reflection are necessary to align technology with human values.

Mission-driven education will remain resilient only if we empower its human stewards to lead the change.