This edited volume explores the transformative role of AI in various sociocultural settings at different levels of education through the sociocultural theoretical lens, to meet the urgent need to understand the impact of generative AI tools on teaching and learning. It includes contributions from various disciplines, including linguistics, psychology, STEM, language teaching, healthcare education, professional learning, teacher education, training, and development, and from various contexts across the world. The book is divided into two parts: learning with AI in general and professional education. The focus on learning and development allows a more in-depth exploration of the impact of AI on creating context-sensitive learning environments. The second part of the book, professional education, addresses the theme of new digital competencies, such as prompt engineering, fostering critical AI literacy, supporting teacher agency, and developing ethical frameworks for AI-mediated instructional design. This volume is a valuable resource for education researchers and academics interested in AI-enhanced education, as well as teachers, managers, curriculum developers, and policymakers dealing with generative AI in their professional practice.

Lada Smirnova is a Senior Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and a LITE fellow at the University of Leeds, UK. She holds several UK teaching qualifications from the University of Cambridge and the University of Manchester, and an IT Specialist Diploma from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI in Moscow, Russia. Her current research interests include the impact of AI-powered custom agents on learning design and assessment.

Pam Birtill is Professor of Psychology of Learning at the University of Leeds, UK. Her research interests lie at the intersection of behaviour and student experience, with a particular focus on assessment, and belonging. In 2022, Prof. Birtill was appointed to the role of Academic Lead for Assessment and Feedback, working to improve the assessment experience for students and staff across the university. She was awarded the prestigious National Teaching Fellowship in 2024 and she is also senior fellow of AdvanceHE.

Lorna Waddington is Associate Professor of International History at the University of Leeds, UK. She currently serves as the University of Leeds Academic Lead for Academic Integrity, placing her at the forefront of scholarly inquiry into the ethical implications of generative AI (GenAI) across research and teaching. Her current research focuses on the ethical use of GenAI and incorporating diverse ethical traditions to promote more inclusive and pluralistic models of digital responsibility.