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Background The integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in education has become a critical component of 21st-century teaching. However, disparities in digital readiness remain pronounced in under-resourced coastal contexts. This study aims to profile teachers’ digital literacy and AI readiness and to develop an AI-Based Project-Based Learning (AI-PjBL) framework grounded in empirical needs analysis. Method An exploratory–developmental design was employed involving 35 teachers from elementary, junior high, and senior high schools in a coastal region. Data were collected using a digital literacy test and semi-structured interviews, followed by expert validation of the developed model. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The findings reveal that teachers’ digital literacy is at a moderate level (M = 55.34), with strong competence in basic technical skills but significant gaps in ICT integration, innovation, and AI readiness. Thematic analysis indicates that infrastructure limitations, low pedagogical integration of technology, and limited awareness of AI ethics hinder effective technology use. Based on these findings, a five-phase AI-PjBL model was developed using a diagnostic-based approach, emphasizing progressive integration of AI from awareness to reflective practice. Expert validation results indicate that the model is highly valid across conceptual, pedagogical, technological, and implementational aspects. Conclusion This study concludes that effective integration of AI in teacher professional development requires a context-sensitive and evidence-based design. The proposed AI-PjBL model offers a structured pathway to bridge the gap between functional digital literacy and transformative pedagogical practice in under-resourced educational settings.
Swandi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.