Abstract

Purpose: This study examines students’ levels of awareness, engagement, perceptions, and ethical concerns regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education. It investigates whether differences in awareness and engagement influence perception and ethical concerns. It further explores the relationship between perception of ai usefulness and ethical concerns. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on primary data collected from 195 students enrolled at I.K.G. Punjab Technical University, Punjab. A structured questionnaire was developed by authors to measure awareness, engagement, perceptions, and ethical concerns related to AI usage. The data were analysed through SPSS, using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. Findings: The results indicate that a majority of students were aware of Artificial Intelligence and actively engaged with Artificial intelligence tools for academic purposes. Students perceived AI as useful in enhancing learning, efficiency, accessibility, and academic support. Students also reported concerns regarding overdependence, plagiarism, reduced creativity, and potential ethical misuse. Practical implications: The findings suggest that students’ perceptions and ethical concerns remain fairly similar across different levels of AI awareness and engagement. This implies that greater exposure to AI alone may not be enough to shape attitudes. Instead, the results point to the need for responsible and balanced use of AI in higher education.

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