Teaching with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI): Should educators trust AI to guide student learning?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping education, offering unprecedented potential to transform teaching and learning practices worldwide. Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek present opportunities like personalized learning, scalability, automation, increased efficiency and real-time feedback, yet raise pressing concerns about accuracy, algorithmic bias, ethics, and the potential replacement of teachers. This paper critically examines whether educators should genuinely trust AI-powered systems to guide student learning, drawing on UNESCO’s 2024 AI Competency Framework for Teachers. It explores both the opportunities and risks of AI integration, emphasizing that the true value of GenAI lies not in replacing educators but in continuously enhancing their professional practice. When aligned with UNESCO’s guiding principles, human-AI collaboration can foster scalable, ethical, and context-sensitive pedagogy. We argue that effective and trustworthy AI adoption requires sustained human oversight, inclusive of design and institutional safeguards, ensuring fairness, equity, and the holistic development of all learners.