Drivers and Consequences of ChatGPT Use in Higher Education: Key Stakeholder Perspectives

The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into education has heralded a transformative era in the way students learn and faculties teach. Among the burgeoning array of AI tools, ChatGPT stands out as a versatile and powerful resource. Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is an AI-driven conversational model that generates human-like responses. This research draws on the Constructivism Learning Theory to uncover the key drivers pushing higher education students to use ChatGPT for academic purposes, and the multifaceted consequences it brings to the academic environment, by integrating the perspectives of key stakeholders: students, faculty, and education experts/leaders. The key findings of in-depth, face-to-face, interviews with key stakeholders revealed 12 main drivers that motivate students and their faculty to use ChatGPT mainly for learning purposes. However, the findings identified the multifaceted (six positive and another six negative) consequences of using ChatGPT for academic purposes. Recommendations for mitigating the negative consequences of ChatGPT were discussed with key stakeholders, particularly education experts/leaders, who were more concerned about using ChatGPT for academic reasons. The research reveals that higher education institutions should establish clear guidelines as a part of higher education policy, supplemented with training sessions for students and their faculty, about the responsible use of ChatGPT for academic purposes to mitigate any ethical concerns.