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Artificial intelligence in higher education: Research notes from a longitudinal study

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  • Leite, Higor

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has disrupted traditional educational approaches. Students are applying GenAI tools to access and create new content. However, the emergence of GenAI in higher education comes with caveats and academics and university administrators are learning to navigate this uncharted territory. GenAI is treated as a double-edged sword, with several benefits, such as innovation and productivity, but also drawbacks regarding ethics and academic misconduct. Therefore, our study aims to understand the impact of GenAI on students' experiences in the higher education ecosystem as students move to a new AI-enhanced job market. This research note article presents preliminary results from a 12-month longitudinal study with students interacting with GenAI. We conducted 35 semi-structured interviews and collected private diary entries (n = 108). Our results show six meaningful themes: Harnessing AI for Enhanced Academic Performance, AI Ethics and Trust Impact on Learning, GenAI as a Supplement to Human Work, Integration and Versatility of GenAI Tools, Balancing GenAI Limitations, and Navigating the AI Adoption Journey. The study also uses the transformative service research lens to present the transformative impact of GenAI in higher education. To contribute to practice and policymakers, we designed a research agenda to inform future studies on GenAI.

Suggested Citation

  • Leite, Higor, 2025. "Artificial intelligence in higher education: Research notes from a longitudinal study," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:215:y:2025:i:c:s0040162525001465
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124115
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