Faculty perspectives on the role of ChatGPT-4.0 in higher education assessments

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly influenced various sectors, including education. A notable advancement is the use of AI language models in assessments. AI language models, such as GPT-4.0, are being trialled to develop innovative tools to enhance assessment processes. The adoption of AI in higher education has been met with enthusiasm and scepticism from university management and academics. As such, it has created much uncertainty and anxiety in higher education. This qualitative study draws on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. It explores the question of university academics' perspectives on the multifaceted impact of AI language models on educational assessment. The study's objective was to determine university academics' perspectives on assessment in the context of radical innovations in AI technology to establish proclivities for technology adoption and the extent of instructional responses and practice. A sample of 29 academics, drawn from a South African university, responded to an online open-ended schedule of questions and an open-coding, thematic analysis was applied. The findings revealed that in the main, participants believed that AI could make student assessment processes more efficient and improve the quality of assessments such as by generating and validating multiple-choice questions, emphasising intrinsic motivation, and creating a more effective formative feedback process. The data also revealed participants' pleas for circumspection and responsive institutional policy and cautioned about (un)witting student transgressions and criminality. Given the relative novelty of generative AI in the academic arena and the exploratory nature of this study, this article offers tentative implications for theory and practice.