This chapter explores critical issues arising from AI's growing influence on education, addressing
both agency’s theoretical foundations and AI’s challenges. It begins with an interdisciplinary
examination of agency, tracing its conceptual development across philosophical, sociological, and
psychological perspectives, including neuropsychology, developmental psychology, and the sense of
agency in interaction with machines. The discussion then extends to educational research, outlining
theoretical foundations, developmental trajectories, ecological influences, and methods used for
assessing agency in learning environments. The second section addresses critical issues concerning
AI-driven automation’s influence on education, structured around three areas: decision-making and
moral development in participatory collectives, the role of personalisation in shaping subjectivity and
achievement, and implications for vocational, career, and political development. By examining AI as
a sociotechnical system, the chapter argues that automation may alter power dynamics, impact
autonomy, and reshape collective, intersubjective, and personal agency within educational processes.