Tashi Wangmo A

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN BHUTANESE HIGH SCHOOLS:

Opportunities and ethical challenges

Tashi Wangmo A¹

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly entering classrooms worldwide, reshaping how high school students learn, interact, and prepare for future careers. This study investigates the role of AI in Bhutanese secondary education, focusing on its potential to personalize learning, support teachers in assessment, and enhance student creativity through digital tools. Using surveys, interviews, and classroom observations, the research highlights how students and teachers perceive AI applications in mathematics practice, language translation, and interactive learning environments. In addition to documenting current practices, the study explores how AI can reduce repetitive tasks for teachers, allowing them to devote more time to mentoring and holistic student development. It also examines the ways AI-driven platforms can adapt lessons to individual learning speeds, thereby addressing diverse student needs. The methodology emphasizes triangulation of data sources to ensure reliability, combining quantitative survey results with qualitative insights from classroom interactions. At the same time, the study critically examines challenges such as unequal access to technology, risks of dependency on automated systems, and ethical concerns around data privacy and adolescent well-being. Grounded in Bhutan's philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), the paper argues that AI integration in high schools must balance innovation with inclusivity, cultural identity, and holistic development. The findings contribute to international debates on how secondary education can responsibly adopt AI to empower students while safeguarding ethical and social responsibility, offering recommendations for policymakers, educators, and researchers seeking to align technological progress with human values.