From the past to the present, social living conditions have continuously evolved and changed. Individuals need to acquire various knowledge and skills to adapt to these developments. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), which can be considered a crucial citizenship competence for the future, has become an essential skill in recent years. The primary goal of social studies education is to prepare students to become effective citizens of both today and the future, making AI a relevant subject within the field. In this regard, social studies courses can play a significant role in raising children's awareness of the AI-driven world they live in and equipping them with the skills to use AI effectively. AI systems are expected to support quality education by assisting teachers in various aspects, such as facilitating the acquisition of knowledge and skills in social studies courses, enhancing the retention of learned content, ensuring effective learning, conducting assessment and evaluation, and tracking student progress. With AI rapidly integrating into various fields, its role in social studies education has become an important research topic. This study aims to contribute to the literature by examining the expectations and suggestions of social studies educators and prospective teachers regarding the use of AI technologies in social studies education, based on their experiences. In line with this objective, the research seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What are the expectations and suggestions of social studies educators regarding the use of AI technologies in social studies courses?
2. What are the expectations and suggestions of pre-service teachers regarding the use of AI technologies in social studies courses?
This study adopted phenomenology to explore participants' perceptions and experiences with artificial intelligence (AI) in social studies education. Phenomenology aims to uncover the meanings individuals assign to their experiences, helping improve educational processes. The study involved ten participants: three academicians and seven prospective teachers. Participants were selected based on their experience using AI in social studies education. The academicians had researched AI and technology integration in social studies and continued their academic work in this field. Among them, two held the title of Professor (Prof. Dr.) and one was an Associate Professor (Assoc. Dr.) at a state university. The prospective teachers were enrolled in a social studies teacher education program and were integrating AI tools into their learning. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using an inductive approach with the NVivo Plus software.

Findings indicated that the academicians viewed AI as a powerful tool for enhancing both academic research and instructional practices in social studies education. They emphasized AI’s potential to function as an intelligent assistant in the teaching process, highlighting its significant role in supporting educators. Prospective teachers reported using AI to generate visuals, gather information, and develop materials for their coursework. Overall, participants stressed the importance of informing both social studies educators and students about the capabilities and limitations of AI to ensure its effective and ethical integration into educational settings.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, AI, social studies education, prospective teacher view, academician view.