Proceeding of the 6 th International Conference on Education, Vol. 6, Issue 2, 2020, pp. 51-56 Copyright © 2020 TIIKM ISSN 2424 - 6700 online DOI: https://doi.org/10.17501/24246700.2020.6205 Corresponding Author’s Email: jkyqxs@zjnu.cn Critical Thinking an Antidote to Artificial Intelligence Threat: An Innovation in Teacher Education Practices Komolafe Blessing Funmi 1,2 and Qian Xusheng 1* 1 Curriculum & Pedagogy Department, Teacher Education College, Zhejiang Normal University, China 2 Science Education Department, Faculty of Education Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria Abstract: The role of Critical thinking skill in developing 21st-century teaching profession can’t be overstated. Projecting into the future, critical thinking is expected to serve as tools for integrating Artificial Intelligence into the teaching profession as well as an antidote to the threats of artificial intelligence to the teaching profession in the machine learning age. This study investigates John Dewey's philosophy on critical thinking and reviews existing literature on teaching profession. The questions raised by this study include: what is critical thinking requirement skill in 21st century? Does critical thinking serve as a means of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the teaching profession? What is the basic critical thinking skill and strategies needed for effective teaching that serve as an antidote to AI threats? The results imply that teachers need to acquire critical skills in order to outsmart machine, which has become a threat to many professions including teaching. The relevant teacher is one that does not function like a programmed machine. Ability to think critically is the answer to the “Austria vision 2030”( Machine learning age), teachers need to think critically in the teaching profession innovation as a major means to overcome AI threat and in order to be relevant in 21st century machine learning age. Keywords: Critical Thinking; Artificial Intelligence; Education; Antidote; Teaching; Profession Introduction The role of Critical thinking skill in developing 21st-century teaching profession can’t be overstated. Teaching profession has originated from the social, economical, scientific and technological dimensions changes (Hotaman, 2010). Teacher education as a sector in teaching profession as play important role that need to be develop to measure up what is invoke in the 21st century. However, projecting into the future, critical thinking is expected to serve as tools for integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the teaching profession as well as an antidote to the threats of artificial intelligence to the teaching profession in the machine learning age. AI being discussed at international venue such as UNESCO, Austrian council, United Union, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, 2019). UNESCO (2019) defines AI as sustainable development, which must be ensured that AI principles and its framework are human-centered. United Nation (2019) emphasized that AI is growing exponentially but is already coming closer to the benchmark of exceeding human capabilities by putting threat on job opportunities. Austria plays a major roles when it comes to digitalization with the highest real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate since 2011(Country Report, 2019). Austria 2030 mission on AI raised questions on challenges posed by the use of AI and robotics on changes and new demand at work (Austrian Council on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, 2020). Meanwhile, with the threat posed by AI on various sector and seen artificial intelligence quietly entering into the classroom (Wayne et al., 2019) it’s suggest innovation in practice. The innovation in practice as suggested by this study in teacher education, examine critical thinking as tools for integrating Artificial Intelligence into the teaching profession. Huang (2019) described critical thinking as an emergence philosophical topic, was inspired by pragmatic philosopher John Dewey in 1910 and endorsed by analytic philosopher Max Black in 1946 (Robert, 2015, p 31).