Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

DOI

10.1002/ceas.70016

Publication Title

Counselor Education and Supervision

Volume

Advance online publication

Pages

1-11

Abstract

The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised important questions about how new technologies will shape professional norms and practices in counseling. The purpose of this study was to understand how counseling professionals expect AI to be integrated into counselor education and supervision (CES). Using a mixed‐methods concept mapping design, 31 participants generated and sorted statements about the potential roles, benefits, and concerns associated with AI in the profession. Participants represented diverse counseling roles, including counselor educators, licensed professional counselors, supervisors, master's‐ and doctoral‐level trainees, and other counseling‐related professionals. Standard concept mapping procedures were conducted using R, resulting in a six‐region conceptual framework and 20 thematic clusters. The regions—Scholarship Assistance, Administrative Assistance, Program and Instructional Development, Enhancing Clinical and Supervisory Processes, Assisting with Innovation, and Growing Pains—captured both anticipated opportunities and emergent challenges associated with AI integration. These findings demonstrate that while counseling professionals see substantial potential for AI to support teaching, research, supervision, and administrative efficiency, they simultaneously anticipate significant concerns related to ethics, professional identity, training needs, and the evolving nature of the technology. Implications highlight the need for counselor educators and supervisors to provide clear guidance, build foundational AI literacy, and model ethical decision‐making as the profession adapts to technological change. Limitations include limited demographic diversity, the rapidly changing landscape of AI, and the potential for researcher bias despite efforts to enhance rigor. Together, this study offers an initial roadmap for researchers and CES professionals seeking to understand and prepare for AI‐related transformations.

Rights

© 2026 The Authors.

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Data Availability

Article states: "The data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available due to the confidentiality agreements with participants."

ORCID

0009-0003-5396-0267 (Crofford), 0009-0001-0356-7235 (Bor), 0000-0002-6577-8636 (Kemer)

Original Publication Citation

Crofford, H., Bor, E., & Kemer, G. (2026). Counseling professionals’ perspectives on AI integration in education and supervision: A concept mapping study. Counselor Education & Supervision. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceas.70016

Download

Share

COinS