AI-Driven Transformation in Education: Pre-Service Teachers’ Ethical Risk Warnings and Proposed Solutions

Rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly used in education, driving a transformation in the field. However, important concerns arise regarding the validity and reliability of AI-generated outputs, as well as ethical issues. This study aims to determine the ethical risks of AI use in education from the perspective of pre-service teachers and propose solutions. Conducted with a content analysis of qualitative design during the spring semester of the 2024–2025 academic year, 157 pre-service teachers were selected via convenient sampling. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive content analysis. According to the findings, participants’ views on ethical risks were grouped into seven themes: Social Impact & Employment; Security & Privacy; Regulation & Oversight; Information & Content Quality; Technological Threats & Misuse; Justice; and Pedagogy & the Teaching Profession. Proposed solutions clustered into nine categories: Regulation & Policy; Human-Centered Measures; Technical Security; Education & Awareness; Professional Adaptation; Ethics & Transparency; Content Quality Assurance; Usage Limitation; and Psychosocial Support.