This study analyzes the incidence of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the development of digital and sustainable competencies in teachers of higher education institutions in Ecuador. A quantitative and descriptive research was applied to a sample of 200 university teachers, evaluating their levels of digital competencies. To diagnose the teaching competencies in digital knowledge of teachers in higher education, a test was applied during the second semester of the year 2024 to 300 teachers from universities in the Ecuadorian highlands. Digital competencies were analyzed in four dimensions: Information, Communication and collaboration, Use of digital devices and tools, and Content creation. The results showed that professors present a medium to medium-high level of appropriation in all dimensions, the lowest being Content Creation. The conclusions highlight the importance of implementing new measures in the institutional environment for the strengthening of digital competencies and the adaptation to new forms of teaching and learning where the adoption of AI tools and their relationship with sustainable practices in the classroom, constitutes a viable alternative for such purposes. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between the use of AI tools and the strengthening of digital and sustainable competencies. In addition, barriers related to the lack of knowledge were identified.