Soft Skills in Jeopardy: The Impact of AI on Future Generations of Students

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education has sparked debates about its impact on teaching and learning methodologies. The utilization of AI in universities presents significant challenges, particularly about students' proficiency. However, the impact of students heavily relying on AI-generated outcomes, leading to a decline in their skills and potential career prospects, has not been explored. Successful organizations acknowledge the importance of individual employees and prioritize their safeguarding and assistance. Career expectations typically pertain to an individual's abilities and proficiency. These expectations encompass both the outward expression of individual professional values and the inner drives. The study utilizes descriptive statistical approaches to analyze creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and leadership in order to discover correlations between artificial intelligence and the decline of students' soft skills. The findings indicate that over 50% of the students in the sample (n=150) across various study programs at the university have shown favorable attitudes towards the utilization of AI in education or their academic pursuits. However, an almost equal number of students have expressed apprehensions regarding the potential impact of AI on the development of their soft skills in the future. Significant statistical differences were observed in all analyzed grouping variables of artificial intelligence (AI) and soft skills, with notable distinctions between genders and fields of study. Additionally, students are experiencing unease regarding their personal and academic growth due to excessive dependence on AI.