As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes the education landscape, educators and policymakers are grappling with how to harness its potential while addressing its associated risks. This paper explores the evolving role of AI in education through an interdisciplinary lens, asking: How can AI support innovation in teaching and learning while safeguarding equity, ethics, and educational integrity?

Drawing on the collaborative framework of the AI-FOCUS project — AI-Driven Education: Opportunities, Risks, and the Path Forward, financed by the Research Networking Scheme (RNS) 2024 of Xjenza Malta (Grant Agreement: RNS-2024-068) — this contribution brings together researchers in pedagogy, psychology, AI, and policy to examine how AI tools, particularly generative AI, are transforming classroom practice. It highlights emerging applications in feedback automation, personalised learning pathways, and rubric-based assessment, while also addressing systemic concerns such as algorithmic bias, academic integrity, and shifting roles of educators.

Anchored in recent policy developments, including the UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Teachers and Students (2024) and the OECD’s draft AI Literacy Framework for Primary and Secondary Education, the paper outlines early insights and research directions co-developed by participants in the AI-FOCUS project.

Rather than offering definitive conclusions, this contribution invites dialogue around the ethical integration of AI in education. It aims to stimulate critical reflection and collaboration, particularly in the areas of teacher preparedness, student autonomy, and inclusive technology design. By fostering international and interdisciplinary exchange, AI-FOCUS seeks to contribute to the development of future-ready, ethically grounded education systems.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence in education (AIED), ethical AI, educational innovation, teaching and learning, assessment and evaluation.