To resist or not to resist: the temptation of a generative artificial intelligence tool in higher education

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools have surfaced new ethical concerns in teaching and learning at institutions of higher learning (IHLs). ChatGPT can be a learning tool, but it can also be used indiscriminately, leading to GAI misuse issues in IHLs. In Singapore, there are limited qualitative studies on students’ understanding of ethical GAI use, even as there is a national push for upskilling of workers and AI education to meet the needs of a burgeoning AI industry. A techno-centric, neoliberal view of GAI tools can sideline students’ learning, necessitating a more human-centred and socio-technical perspective such as Critical Digital Pedagogy (CDP). Nineteen undergraduates studying in a Singapore university were interviewed to explore their attitudes and experiences of using ChatGPT in their studies. Through thematic analysis and using CDP as a critical lens, the data revealed that participants tend to rely on ChatGPT as a form of rescue from academic demands. Participants’ responses to ChatGPT were also found to be governed by their cultural and sociopolitical environment. Recommendations include IHLs co-creating GAI use policies with students and teaching for resistance to some GAI use, among others.