Revolutionizing Teachers’ Professional Development: The Critical Role of AI-Based Tools from Initial Training to Lifelong Learning—A Case Study

The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various sectors, particularly in education, is gaining increasing scholarly attention. In the Moroccan context, AI integration in education faces significant challenges, including limited infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, and varying levels of familiarity with AI technologies. These barriers highlight the need to investigate how external knowledge-related factors influence perceptions of integrating AI-based tools among future and experienced teachers. This study examines these perceptions and the necessity of integrating AI-based tools from the initial training of Moroccan teachers to their lifelong learning. Employing a quantitative, descriptive, and exploratory design, data were collected through a validated questionnaire administered to two distinct groups: 244 future teachers in their third year of training at the Higher Normal School (ENS) in Fez, and 238 experienced teachers working in public schools across the Fez-Meknes region. The experienced teachers were recruited using a snowball sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed using robust statistical methods. The results demonstrate a significant positive correlation between knowledge of AI-based tools and perceptions of their importance among both future and experienced teachers. Additionally, interest in and mastery of emerging technologies—part of the Technological Proficiency Factor—were identified as critical determinants of positive perceptions. Despite existing contextual barriers, there was a strong consensus on the importance of integrating AI-based tools within teacher training programs, regardless of years of professional experience. This study contributes to the limited body of research on both the opportunities and challenges of AI integration within the Moroccan educational context and underscores the necessity of incorporating AI competencies into initial teacher training curricula to shape the future of teacher education.