Unpacking the ethics of using AI in primary and secondary education: a systematic literature review

This paper provides a systematic review of the literature discussing the ethics of using artificial intelligence in primary and secondary education (AIPSED). Although recent advances in AI have led to increased interest in its use in education, discussions about the ethical implications of this new development are dispersed. Our literature review consolidates discussions that occurred in different epistemic communities interested in AIPSED and offers an ethical analysis of the debate. The review followed the PRISMA-Ethics guidelines and included 48 sources published between 2016 and 2023. Using a thematic approach, we subsumed the ethical implications of AIPSED under seventeen categories, with four outlining potential positive developments and thirteen identifying perceived negative consequences. We argue that empirical research and in-depth engagement with ethical theory and philosophy of education is needed to adequately assess the challenges introduced by AIPSED.