ETHICS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN ACADEMIA

The moral behaviors that govern a person’s activities are potentially under threat as Artificial Intelligence (AI) develops in the context of other emerging technologies. Central to ethics is information that regulates or helps people to classify acts as wrong or right. The purpose of this study is to carry out a systematic review of the ethical use of AI in education. The theoretical frameworks used are the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the 5 ethical principles beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, justice, and explicability. Literature was reviewed using a variety of search engines and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework for reviewing relevant available literature. The inclusion and exclusion criteria are based on peer review, relevancy to the topic, and the current article (less than 10 years old). Findings indicate that educational administrators need to develop policies that enhance educational equity, while national governing bodies institutionalize regulations to ensure the security of educational data as it relates to using AI technology in academia. Since learning is now ubiquitous, educators need to upskill themselves with technological competencies as well as equip their learners with strategies to acquire AI literacy required in the information age and the necessary skills to excel in a future labor-market increasingly dominated by AI so they remain on the cutting edge. To reap the most from the technological advancements as per the Technology Acceptance Model, users consider the risks, benefits, and ease of use. In this case, benefits from the use of AI are many, these include conveniences and prospects. But this comes accompanied by risks. Hence it is also crucial to assess the ethical risks, and consider the possible remedies before embarking on using AI. The study recommends responsible use of AI. The responsible authorities such as the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) and UNESCO need to collaborate to manage the growing concerns and adopt the recommendations on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (UNESCO, 2023).