Evaluating the Impact of Artificial Intelligence Tools on Enhancing Student Academic Performance: Efficacy Amidst Security and Privacy Concerns

The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly transformed various domains, including education, by introducing innovative tools that reshape teaching and learning processes. This research investigates the perceptions and attitudes of students towards the use of AI tools in their academic activities, focusing on constructs such as perceived usefulness, the perceived ease of use, security and privacy concerns, and both positive and negative attitudes towards AI. On the basis of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the General Attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS), this research seeks to identify the factors influencing students’ behavioral intentions and actual adoption of AI tools in educational settings. A structured survey was administered to students at Multimedia University, Malaysia, capturing their experiences and opinions on widely used AI tools such as ChatGPT, Quillbot, Grammarly, and Perplexity. Hypothesis testing was used to evaluate the statistical significance of relationships between the constructs and behavioral intention and actual use of the AI tools. The findings reveal a high level of engagement with AI tools among University students, primarily driven by their perceived benefits in enhancing academic performance, improving efficiency, and facilitating personalized learning experiences. The findings also uncover significant concerns related to data security, privacy, and the potential over-reliance on AI tools, which may hinder the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.