The accelerated integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into educational settings has underscored a significant preparedness gap among teachers, particularly in terms of digital competence, ethical literacy, and emotional readiness. This study examines the impact of a structured, two-day professional development (PD) program on public school teachers in Türkiye, aimed at mitigating AI-related anxiety and enhancing instructional integration of GenAI tools. Grounded in Roblyer’s Technology Integration Planning Model (TIPM), the program introduced participants to educational AI applications such as Lessonplans.ai, MagicSchool.ai, CanvaAI, and Gradescope through interactive workshops and reflective sessions. Quantitative analyses using the Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test revealed statistically significant reductions in learning anxiety and job replacement anxiety following the intervention. However, no significant changes were observed in sociotechnical blindness or AI configuration anxiety. While participants reported high satisfaction with the training, these findings suggest that short-term PD initiatives, though effective in addressing operational concerns, are insufficient for fostering critical, ethical, and sustainable AI integration. The study concludes that meaningful teacher empowerment in the AI era requires longitudinal, ethically grounded, and psychologically supportive professional development models that go beyond technical proficiency to cultivate reflective and resilient educational practice.