Preservice Teachers and AI in Education 5.0: Examining Literacy, Anxiety, and Attitudes across Gender, Socioeconomic Status, and Training

Education 5,0 underscores the central role of artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping teaching and learning, yet the readiness of preservice teachers to engage with these technologies remains at an early stage. This study set out to examine the levels of AI literacy, anxiety, and attitudes among preservice teachers in state universities and colleges in the Zamboanga Peninsula, taking into account gender, socioeconomic status, and training as key demographic variables. Using a descriptive-quantitative, correlational-comparative design, data were gathered from 378 respondents and analyzed through descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. Results revealed that preservice teachers demonstrated moderately high literacy (M = 3,80), moderate anxiety (M = 3,00), and generally positive attitudes (M = 3,60). Gender differences were evident, with males reporting higher literacy but lower anxiety, while females showed greater anxiety and slightly more positive attitudes. Socioeconomic status also influenced literacy and anxiety, favoring students from higher-income groups, though attitudes showed little variation. Training enhanced literacy but had negligible effects on anxiety and attitudes. Correlation analysis confirmed that higher literacy was strongly linked to lower anxiety and moderately associated with more positive attitudes, while anxiety was related to less favorable attitudes. These findings highlight the pivotal role of literacy in reducing apprehension and strengthening acceptance of AI. The study recommends embedding structured AI literacy programs in teacher education curricula, alongside targeted interventions for female and low-income students, to ensure equitable and confident readiness for AI integration in line with the goals of Education 5,0.