Serious games are a digital resource that can be utilized in education, particularly at the university level. Various tools allow teachers to create educational resources in this format without requiring prior programming knowledge. On the other hand, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly permeating all aspects of daily life. In higher education, university students are making growing use of AI-driven tools, especially with the rise of generative AI. However, to what extent are they aware of the ethical implications of these technologies, and do they critically engage with them? In this context, students should develop awareness and engage in critical reflection on various ethical concerns, including algorithmic bias, algorithmic discrimination, algorithmic justice, data bias, data poisoning, and gender bias in AI, among others.

In response to this question, several educational serious games are being developed as part of two projects designed to educate students on ethical issues related to artificial intelligence. These projects include “Let's play and learn with serious games! Design and evaluation of teaching materials by and for university students to develop basic and transversal competences” (ID2024/196, University of Salamanca, Spain) and “Design, development, and evaluation of a serious game as a digital teaching material to address Artificial Intelligence security controversies from an ethical and pedagogical perspective” (University of Salamanca, Spain). To guide the development of these serious games, the ADDIE model is being employed, as it is a well-established framework for designing and developing educational materials, including digital resources.

At present, we are in the development phase. Specifically, the games -designed as a saga- create simulated worlds in which the same protagonist learns about different ethical issues related to artificial intelligence, depending on the particular game. For instance, one game addresses algorithmic bias, while another explores data poisoning. The scenarios presented in these serious games are closely linked to the field of education, as the target audience consists of students enrolled in education-related programs in Spain, including the Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, in Primary Education, in Pedagogy, and in Social Education. Moreover, this resource aims to foster the development of transversal competences essential to these university degrees. Among them are the ability to engage in critical thinking and self-criticism, as well as an awareness of and commitment to ethical and deontological principles (ethical commitment). Additionally, the games seek to enhance students’ capacity to assess the social and environmental impact of actions and decisions within educational and social contexts, addressing issues such as sustainability, environmental awareness, discrimination, and inequality.

Finally, it is important to emphasize the importance of training futures teachers and educators in the field of artificial intelligence. However, this training must extend beyond purely technical or instrumental aspects, such as the use of specific applications or the development of prompts. Rather, it is essential to foster students’ critical and reflective capacities, enabling them to navigate the challenges posed by this technological advancement, both in their professional roles as educators and as active, informed citizens.

Keywords: Serious games, artificial intelligence, pre-service teachers, educational processes, educational resources, ethics.