More than a chatbot: Human-centered AI for student engagement and academic efficiency

Anthropomorphic artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming digital education by creating interactive, learner-centered environments.This systematic review examines peer-reviewed literature from 2015 to 2025 to evaluate how AI tutors influence student engagement, retention, and faculty workload, while addressing ethical concerns such as bias, data privacy, and over-reliance.Findings indicate that AI tutors can improve retention by up to 21% and reduce grading time by more than 30% by providing personalized, adaptive feedback.Despite these gains, challenges remain, including algorithmic bias and the risk of students overvaluing AI-generated content at the expense of critical thinking and mentorship.This study introduces the AI-Pedagogy Integration Model (APIM), a four-phase governance framework designed to guide ethical, transparent, and pedagogically aligned AI adoption.By following a structured approach, institutions can integrate AI to enhance learning outcomes while safeguarding academic integrity and human connection.