Ethical Issues and Challenges in Implementing DepEd AI Guidelines in Basic Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly transformative role in education by enhancing teaching and learning through tools such as chatbots, automated grading systems, and intelligent tutoring platforms. This study thoughtfully examined the ethical issues and challenges associated with implementing the Department of Education (DepEd) Foundational Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence in Basic Education, with a focus on teachers’ awareness, ethical concerns, implementation challenges, and ethical AI practices. A quantitative descriptive–correlational research design was employed, supplemented by a qualitative thematic analysis. Data were collected from 45 graduate student-teachers and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that teachers demonstrated a moderate level of awareness of the DepEd AI guidelines and generally exhibited responsible AI practices in the classroom. Ethical issues, such as academic dishonesty, data privacy, and algorithmic bias, were strongly recognized, whereas implementation challenges included limited training, insufficient resources, and unclear policy guidelines. Correlation analysis showed significant positive relationships among awareness, ethical issues, challenges, and ethical AI practices. Regression results further indicated that ethical issues, awareness, and challenges significantly predicted teachers’ ethical AI practices, with ethical issues emerging as the strongest predictor. Thematic analysis identified key strategies to improve ethical AI implementation, including professional development, clearer policy guidelines, monitoring mechanisms, resource provision, and context-based application. The study concludes that while teachers are committed to ethical AI use, enhanced training, policy clarity, and institutional support are essential to strengthen responsible AI integration, highlighting the need for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to ethical AI use in basic education.