USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES IN TRANSFORMING SCHOOL COUNSELLING SERVICES: PITFALLS/ETHICAL CONCERNS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Keywords:
AI, Counselling Services, Digital Counselling, Transformative, TechnologiesAbstract
ABSTRACT
This paper examined the transformative role of AI technologies in school counselling services. It adopted a conceptual review approach. The concept of Artificial Intelligence, school counselling services, and the various AI technologies currently applicable to counselling practice explored. The paper argued that AI should complement rather than replace professional school counsellors, whose human judgment, empathy, ethical reasoning, and interpersonal skills remain indispensable. It concluded that the future of school counselling lies in the effective collaboration between human expertise and artificial intelligence, thereby promoting more inclusive, accessible, and responsive counselling services in the digital age. The paper therefore suggested the development of comprehensive ethical guidelines, AI literacy programmes for counsellors, improved digital infrastructure, robust data protection frameworks, and continuous professional development to facilitate the responsible adoption of AI in counselling practice.
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