Awareness and Ethical Usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) among Postgraduate Students in Ogun State Public Universities

Abstract

This study investigated University Students’ Awareness and Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) among the Postgraduate Students in Ogun State Public Universities. This study adopted a descriptive research design of the survey method and employed a five-sectioned questionnaire to elicit information from the respondents. The sample size included a multistage sample of 200 postgraduate students across three public universities in Ogun State. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were employed to answer and test the formulated hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study with (mean = 2.30; SD = 0.31) shows that majority of the university students are not aware of AI for learning. With (mean = 2.06; SD = 0.35), it shows that there is low extent of utilization of AI tools for enhanced research in universities. It further revealed with (mean = 2.30; SD = 0.31) that postgraduate students are less aware of AI tools for enhanced research in universities. Moreover, with (mean = 3.43; SD = 0.32), it shows that there are challenges associated with the utilization of AI tools for enhanced research among postgraduate students in universities. Also, the result (mean = 3.47; SD = 0.33) shows that there are strategies to enhance utilization of AI tools for enhanced research among postgraduate students in universities in Ogun State. This study concluded that students' ability to explore digital resources such as AI is dependent on their awareness and access to digital technologies. A lack of these will result in a lack of use and lack of skill to use them. It was recommended that Faculties/Departmental heads should organize seminars and workshops aim at intimating postgraduate students on the use of various AI tools for enhanced research. Postgraduate students should encourage collaboration in their research as a way of enhancing their awareness and utilization of AI tools for enhanced research. Institutional licenses for AI tools should be acquired by various Universities in order to ensure access by postgraduate students.