Teacher burnout and technology integration are pivotal issues facing Saudi Arabia as it pursues ambitious education reforms and digital transformation goals. This cross-sectional survey study aimed to assess secondary school teachers’ burnout levels, technology confidence, and perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in Asir province. Utilizing validated scales, the results from 50 teachers revealed a concerning 18.4 mean emotional exhaustion score, signalling a burnout risk. Although relatively confident in basic technology skills (3.67 mean), teachers expressed lower proficiency in online learning (2.98 mean) and technical troubleshooting (2.85 mean). Cautious optimism regarding AI’s potential to enhance quality and reduce routine workload through automated grading (67.3% positive), administrative tasks (79.2% positive), and personalized tutoring (72.1% positive) was dominant, though human oversight remained valued. Regression analysis found experience and gender significantly influenced burnout and technology confidence, highlighting professional development needs. Qualitative findings emphasized ground realities driving teacher stress. Study implications include teacher-centric integration policies beginning with limited AI automation of administrative duties, extensive upskilling of teachers as partners in the digital transition focusing on welfare not just test scores, and localized research to inform context-appropriate solutions. This empirical inquiry provides timely evidence to guide reforms leveraging AI to enrich human-centered education through compassionate change leadership.