Research has demonstrated that teachers are relying on artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance learner performance and improve their pedagogical strategies. Therefore, it is critical to assess if preservice teachers are ready to employ AI tools in their teaching because preservice teachers play a significance role in the successful implementation of AI in schools. To understand the AI readiness of preservice teachers the study employed qualitative research methods where in-depth face-to-face structured interviews were used to collect data from twenty-six final year student teachers at a university of technology in South Africa. The goal was to understand the perceptions of preservice teachers’ AI readiness in the South African context. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was employed as the framework to assess preservice teachers’ AI readiness. The results indicate that preservice teachers accept AI and are willing to use AI tools in their classrooms. They also acknowledged the numerous benefits AI tools has for education. However, they stressed that teachers must be trained on how to comfortably use AI as a tool to support teaching and learning so that they become educated users. They also raised a concern that learners should be educated about ethical issues regarding AI. The conclusion is that preservice teachers can use AI tools successfully if it is integrated into Initial Teacher Education curricula.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, readiness, preservice Economics teachers, final year students.