CHALLENGES AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN UTILIZING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR RESEARCH AMONG BUSINESS EDUCATION POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in academic research, influencing the way postgraduate students in business education access, analyze, and interpret data. Hence, the study investigated the challenges and ethical considerations in utilizing AI-powered research tools among postgraduate students of business education in Kwara State. The study had two specific purposes: research questions and null hypotheses. Relevant literature was reviewed, and the research adopted a descriptive survey design. The primary instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled Challenges and Ethical Considerations in Utilizing Artificial Intelligence for Research Among Business Education Postgraduate Students (CEUAIPSQ), consisting of 20 items. The instrument was pilot-tested at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti. The questionnaire’s reliability was confirmed through Cronbach Alpha reliability test which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.75. Demographic data were analyzed using frequency and percentages, while the research questions were analyzed using mean ratings and standard deviations. The null hypotheses were tested using independent samples t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The findings indicated that challenges such as the high cost of AI tools (=2.60; SD = 1.01), lack of institutional support (=2.62; SD = 0.60), and limited internet access (=2.52; SD = 0.95) hinder postgraduate students’ use of AI-powered research tools. Ethical implications identified include plagiarism (=3.04; SD = 0.57), infringement of intellectual property (=3.18; SD = 0.63), and devaluation of critical thinking (=3.12; SD = 0.59). The null hypotheses revealed that there was no significant difference between PhD and master’s students in their responses on both the challenges (t48 = -0.59, P > 0.05) and ethical implications (t48 = -0.43, P > 0.05). Therefore, the study concluded that both PhD and master’s students face similar challenges and ethical issues in the utilization of AI for research. It was recommended, among others, that universities should provide AI training programs, subsidize access to AI tools, and establish clear ethical guidelines to ensure responsible and equitable AI adoption among postgraduate students.