The emergence of generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, is fundamentally reshaping educational landscapes, prompting urgent reconsideration of the teacher’s role. This study explores how teachers must reconceptualize their professional identity and instructional practices in the age of generative AI. Drawing on sociocultural theory and a comprehensive review of CALL and MALL literature, the paper argues that AI does not replace teachers but rather demands a structural transformation of their roles. Specifically, three core roles are proposed for teachers: prompt designer, critical mediator, and emotional and creative mentor. As prompt designers, teachers must master prompt literacy to co-create tailored learning materials with AI; as critical mediators, they safeguard against biases, misinformation, and ethical pitfalls; and as emotional and creative mentors, they nurture students’ motivation, creativity, and identity in ways AI cannot replicate. The study also highlights implications for teacher education programs and school systems, emphasizing the need for comprehensive AI literacy training and pedagogical innovation. Ultimately, the integration of generative AI offers opportunities to enrich learning experiences, provided that teachers actively lead its educational orchestration.
Changsoo Kim (Sun,) studied this question.