Pre-service teachers' perspectives on artificial intelligence

The aim of this study is to determine the views of prospective teachers on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and to examine whether these views show a significant difference according to variables such as gender, department, grade level, frequency of internet use, use of AI technologies and frequency of using these technologies. Today, artificial intelligence technologies are increasingly integrated into educational processes and are transforming teachers' professional roles, teaching methods and student learning experiences. In this context, prospective teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards these technologies play a critical role in shaping future educational practices. The research was conducted according to a mixed method design. Quantitative data were collected from a total of 1497 prospective teachers who were attending nine different programs of Fırat University Faculty of Education in the 2024-2025 academic year. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 18 prospective teachers selected from nine departments. The Artificial Intelligence Scale developed by Süleymanoğulları, Özdemir and Tekin (2024) was used as the quantitative data collection tool; qualitative data were analyzed using the content analysis method. According to the quantitative analysis results, it was determined that the general attitudes of teacher candidates towards artificial intelligence were positive at a medium-high level. While male perceptions were found to be higher in the widespread effect dimension according to the gender variable, female candidates were found to have higher anxiety levels in the anxiety dimension. Significant differences were observed in the interaction dimension according to the department variable; the interaction level of the English Language Teaching department was found to be the highest. The interaction and general attitudes of upper grades were found to be more positive according to the grade level. It was observed that as the duration of internet use and AI usage status/frequency increased, the interaction and widespread effect dimensions developed positively. Qualitative findings show that teacher candidates actively use artificial intelligence technologies especially to support their learning processes, provide fast access to information and offer individualized learning opportunities. Candidates stated that the roles of teacher and student will transform and the teacher's role as a guide and facilitator will strengthen. However, various concerns were also expressed such as the risk of students tending towards laziness, ethical and information reliability problems, concerns about the loss of value of the teaching profession and the possible negative effects of AI on emotional-mental development. As a result, it was observed that teacher candidates developed a balanced, critical and conscious approach towards artificial intelligence technologies; they were willing to use technology effectively in education, but they pointed out that this process should be carried out within the framework of ethical and pedagogical responsibilities. These results reveal the importance of strengthening artificial intelligence literacy and ethical awareness in teacher training programs.