The Changing Educational Landscape for Sustainable Online Experiences: Implications of ChatGPT in Arab Students’ Learning Experience

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into education is rapidly transforming traditional paradigms of teaching and learning. ChatGPT, an advanced AI system capable of sophisticated language generation, represents a potentially disruptive innovation in this sphere. This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design using a cross-sectional approach to examine ChatGPT’s emerging role in reshaping students’ learning experiences within higher education. A survey of 473 undergraduate students at King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia assessed ChatGPT’s usage patterns, effectiveness, and implications across diverse learning domains. Data were collected through a structured online survey distributed over a month and analyzed using quantitative measures (i.e., SPSS). Sixty precent (60%) of the students reported using ChatGPT for homework assistance, with 27.7% doing so weekly. Additionally, 45.5% utilized it for research, 35.5% for exam preparation, and approximately 30% for language learning and content discussions. Over 60% of the students recognized moderate to significant positive impacts of ChatGPT on their academic performance, research skills, and technical competencies. However, 38.7% reported no discernible effects on critical thinking. Factor analysis identified engagement as a key pathway for ChatGPT to enrich learning, with usage strongly linked to participation and motivation. Regression analysis determined usage frequency, satisfaction, and perceived usefulness as significant predictors of ChatGPT’s academic effectiveness, evidenced by beta coefficients of 0.21 for usage frequency and 0.25 for satisfaction. The findings showcase ChatGPT’s promising versatility as an AI-powered educational tool, while emphasizing the need for ethical frameworks, balanced expectations, and holistic adoption strategies to maximize benefits and minimize risks. Further research into pedagogical integration capabilities and evolving impacts will be critical as advanced AI becomes increasingly pervasive throughout education.