The Integration of Antagonistic Forces of Artificial Intelligence and Competency-Based Curriculum Using Human-in-the-Loop in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania

The rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education presents both transformative opportunities and fundamental tensions when aligned with Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), particularly in developing contexts such as Tanzania. While AI emphasizes automation, data-driven decision-making, and algorithmic optimization, CBC prioritizes human-centered learning outcomes, demonstrable competencies, and contextual relevance. These divergent orientations create antagonistic forces that hinder effective curriculum integration. This paper examines how Human-inthe-Loop (HITL) can mediate these tensions in Tanzanian Higher Learning Institutions, AI affordances with CBC principles in Tanzanian Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs). Through a systematic review of global and local literature, policy documents, and theoretical models, the study proposes an integrative HITL-based framework that preserves human judgment, ethical oversight, and pedagogical intentionality while leveraging AI for personalization, assessment, and learning analytics. The findings contribute a context-sensitive framework for sustainable AI-CBC integration, informing policy, curriculum design, and institutional governance in Tanzania and comparable Global South contexts.