Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into education has transformed teaching, learning, and educational decision-making while simultaneously generating complex ethical challenges. Although research on AI ethics in education has expanded considerably, the existing literature remains conceptually fragmented across pedagogical, technological, and governance perspectives. This fragmentation limits our understanding of how to translate ethical principles into educational practice and policy. Addressing this gap, the present study develops an integrated theoretical framework for AI ethics in education through a critical literature review and comparative policy analysis. The analysis synthesizes international scholarship and major policy frameworks, including those developed by UNESCO, the OECD, the European Union, China, and Türkiye, to examine how different educational contexts conceptualize and govern ethical issues. The findings reveal three interconnected yet insufficiently integrated dimensions within the literature: pedagogical ethics, technological–algorithmic risks, and global governance. These dimensions are predominantly examined in isolation, resulting in limited conceptual coherence across the micro (learner–teacher), meso (technological systems), and macro (policy and governance) levels. In response, the study proposes a multi-level conceptual framework grounded in the principles of fairness, transparency, accountability, and human-centeredness. By integrating technological design, pedagogical processes, ethical theory, and governance structures, the proposed framework provides a more holistic understanding of AI ethics in education. The study contributes to the literature by advancing an interdisciplinary and theoretically grounded model that supports ethical evaluation, policy development, and the responsible governance of AI in educational contexts.