Reconceptualizing the Role of Elementary School Teachers in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: A Critical Study of Pedagogical Agency, Knowledge Authority, and Educational Ethics

The emergence of artificial intelligence in primary education is changing the way teaching materials are structured, information is acquired, and learning decisions are made. These changes require a reconsideration of the teacher's position, particularly when system recommendations begin to influence assessments of children's needs and abilities. This article aims to redefine the role of primary school teachers through the relationship between pedagogical agency, knowledge authority, and educational ethics. The review employs a critical narrative literature approach to 19 selected publications from 2021–2026, encompassing empirical research, research reviews, conceptual articles, and policy documents that provide open access or official download facilities. The literature is reviewed based on educational context, type of evidence, conceptual contributions, and limitations of its application to primary schools. The synthesis shows that the benefits of AI depend on learning objectives, professional judgment capacity, and institutional support. Teacher agency requires the authority to review, modify, and reject system recommendations. Knowledge authority rests on the ability to explain the basis for a claim and guide the examination of evidence. Educational ethics need to be embodied in data protection, equitable access, child engagement, and the sharing of responsibilities. The article proposes the role of teachers as learning designers, knowledge assessors, relational facilitators, and advocates for children's interests. This reconceptualization requires case-based professional development and school governance that does not center all technological risks on teachers.