Redefining Agency: A Capability-Driven Research Agenda for Generative AI in Education

(1) Aim: This paper aims to develop a research agenda grounded in the Capability Approach to address the “quality of use” gap emerging from the proliferation of generative AI (GenAI) in education. (2) Method: We conducted a deductive thematic analysis of 21 recent academic papers (2023–2025) using the Capability-Driven Digital Education Framework (CDDEF) to synthesise emerging discourse on digital empowerment. (3) Findings: The thematic synthesis reveals three cross-cutting themes: the ambiguous impact of AI on human capabilities (scaffold vs. crutch), the shift in educational inequality from access to quality and justice, and the necessity of redefining human agency in partnership with AI. (4) Implications: The resulting agenda provides a roadmap for researchers and policymakers to ensure GenAI functions as a scaffold for expanding substantive freedoms rather than exacerbating digital divides.