The intersection of artificial intelligence and instructional design practice: a systematic review

Abstract The use of artificial intelligence (AI) at every stage of the education process is increasing. The integration of AI into instructional design (ID) is transforming the field from a linear, human-driven process into a dynamic, collaborative ecosystem that merges computational power with human creativity and pedagogical expertise. This study aims to systematically review research that investigates the use of AI within the instructional design process. A total of 28 articles published between 2020 and 2025 were analysed to examine the relationship between instructional design and AI. The majority of studies focused on how AI was perceived by instructional designers and teachers, while others examined its effects and proposed AI-based systems and models specific to instructional design, indicating that the field was still in an emerging phase. In these studies, AI assists designers in tasks such as generating content, providing templates, and personalizing materials, which are among the most intensive instructional design processes. The most significant benefit in the instructional design process is provided by assisting with administrative and repetitive tasks, such as monitoring student progress, grading, and providing feedback. Prominent challenges, such as the need for pedagogical alignment and the readiness of instructional design practitioners were highlighted, which pointed to fundamental limitations of AI, particularly concerns about content reliability and tool-specific constraints. Overall, AI was not only regarded as a tool but was also conceptualised as a co-worker, collaborator, and partner within the instructional design process.