Human and AI support in higher education: a hybrid model for an enhanced learning experience

Intelligent assistants have emerged as an innovative tool for student support, offering personalized guidance, and automated feedback. Despite its increasing adoption, there is limited experimental research directly comparing AI-assisted support with traditional human teacher support in higher education, particularly with regard to learning outcomes and learner experience Likewise, the effectiveness of AI assistants compared to traditional teacher support remains an area of research. This study aimed to compare the impact of AI assistants and human teachers on learning outcomes in higher education. Participants ( N = 59) were divided into two groups: an experimental group ( N = 31) supported by an AI assistance platform, and a control group ( N = 28) guided by human instructors. Both groups engaged with the same course content. Quantitative data were collected using achievement tests and the questionnaire, supplemented by focus group discussions on the qualitative phase. The study revealed that while AI assistants can enhance self-confidence and provide efficient support, human teachers remain important for delivering higher academic achievement, greater motivation, and significantly higher learning satisfaction and more accurate self-evaluation of their learning. This study provides new empirical evidence demonstrating the complementary strengths of AI-assisted and human-assisted learning in higher education. These findings highlight the continued importance of human interaction in effective teaching. The study concludes by proposing a hybrid support model that integrates AI assistance with human instruction.