ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PEDAGOGICAL APPLICATIONS, ETHICAL CHALLENGES, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has profoundly reshaped the global landscape of education, presenting new opportunities for innovation while raising complex ethical and pedagogical questions. This systematic review examines the integration of AI in educational contexts over the past decade (2015–2025), focusing on three core dimensions: pedagogical applications, ethical challenges, and future directions. The study systematically analyzed and synthesized findings from 85 peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science databases. Using the PRISMA framework, this review identifies how AI has been utilized to enhance teaching and learning through adaptive systems, intelligent tutoring platforms, automated assessment tools, and personalized learning analytics. The findings reveal that AI can significantly improve learning personalization, efficiency, and engagement by enabling real-time feedback, data-driven decision-making, and individualized learning pathways. However, these benefits are counterbalanced by ethical concerns related to data privacy, algorithmic bias, surveillance, and the potential dehumanization of education. The study highlights the urgent need for ethical governance frameworks and the development of human-centered AI that prioritizes transparency, inclusivity, and accountability. Moreover, future directions emphasize the importance of teacher digital competence, culturally responsive AI design, and interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping equitable and sustainable AI integration in education. In conclusion, AI holds transformative potential for advancing educational quality and accessibility, yet its success depends on maintaining a balance between technological innovation and ethical responsibility. This review contributes to the global discourse on AI in education by offering a comprehensive synthesis of its pedagogical impacts, ethical dilemmas, and future prospects, ultimately advocating for an education system that remains deeply human in an increasingly intelligent world.