TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This paper examines the critical synergy between technology education and artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative force for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It argues that while AI presents unprecedented potential to address complex global challenges—from quality education (SDG 4) and healthcare (SDG 3) to climate action (SDG 13) and sustainable industrialization (SDG 9)—a significant gap persists. Current technology education systems often prioritize technical skills and economic productivity without adequately integrating sustainability principles, ethical frameworks, and systems thinking aligned with the holistic 2030 Agenda. Through a thematic analysis, the paper explores how AI-integrated technology education can act as a catalyst across all 17 SDGs by enhancing educational quality and access, fostering inclusive economic growth, and enabling data-driven solutions for resource management, environmental protection, and equitable societies. However, it identifies key challenges, including disciplinary silos, inadequate teacher training, the environmental footprint of digital technologies, and risks of exacerbating inequalities through algorithmic bias. The study concludes that a fundamental reorientation of technology education is imperative. It must evolve from a focus on technical proficiency to an interdisciplinary model that cultivates AI literacy for sustainability—equipping learners with ethical reasoning, sustainable design principles, and the competencies to harness AI as a tool for just and resilient development. Ultimately, the purposeful integration of AI and technology education, guided by strong governance and global partnerships (SDG 17), emerges as an essential pathway to empowering future generations to build a sustainable and inclusive future