Reporting the potential risk of using AI in higher Education: Subjective perspectives of educators

Abstract

This study explores the potential risks associated with the use of AI in higher education, based on the views of university teachers from the Czech Republic and Iraq. A total of 40 respondents, including 28 females and 12 males aged between 32 and 54, participated in the study. All participants were university teachers specializing in EFL, psychology, ITC, and foreign languages, and they reported using the internet and AI daily or several times a week for their professional activities. The qualitative research, grounded in a phenomenological approach, involved guided interviews that were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using LIWC-22 software to identify common themes and sentiments. The findings reveal significant concerns about privacy risks, academic integrity, and the validity of AI-generated data. Respondents expressed fears over data misuse, unauthorized access, and the potential for AI to facilitate plagiarism and undermine critical thinking. While AI is seen as beneficial for personalized learning and language training, there are apprehensions about its impact on the role of teachers and the potential for job displacement. The study also highlights the limitations of AI in replicating human interaction and addressing students' emotional and behavioral engagement. Overall, the sentiment among respondents is predominantly negative, with calls for ethical guidelines, critical evaluation, and the preservation of human elements in education. The research underscores the need for further studies involving larger and more diverse samples, including students, to comprehensively understand the implications of AI in education.