THE ROLE OF AI IN ENHANCING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES: A CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF BENIN STUDENTS

The study was aimed at investigating the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing educational outcomes among students of the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Grounded on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Constructivist Learning Theory, the survey research method was employed in this research. Data were obtained from 382 respondents covering different faculties of the university. The majority of students knew of AI programs such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, Quillbot, and Gemini, and the most frequently utilized was ChatGPT. The result also showed that students utilize these tools mainly to aid in writing activities, research, grammar corrections, and creating summaries. The participants felt that AI improved their understanding of course content, encouraged creativity, and the quality of their work. Conversely, issues of concern such as plagiarism, over-reliance on technology, low internet connectivity and the high price of some of the AI tools were realized. The study recommended inclusion of AI literacy in the education syllabus, conducting training and awareness workshops, upgrading digital infrastructure, and adopting firm policies to guide moral use of AI. The research concludes that AI can, i.e. if utilized effectively, will improve the learning efficiency of students as well as their overall educational performance.