ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS AT ST LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY

AbstractArtificial Intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI, is increasingly used in higher education to supportresearch, writing, tutoring, revision and problem-solving. This paper examines the potential impact of AI onthe academic performance of students at St. Lawrence University, Uganda, drawing on published researchrather than original field data. Recent meta-analyses suggest that AI-supported learning can improveacademic achievement and other learning outcomes, although the effects vary according to the learningcontext and how the technology is used. For example, a 2025 meta-analysis of 29 empirical studies reported apositive effect of AI on students’ academic achievement. A separate 2025 review of 57 studies found positiveeffects of generative AI on university students’ overall learning outcomes, including academic achievementand higher-order thinking. However, inappropriate use may encourage overdependence, weaken independentlearning, facilitate academic dishonesty and expose students to inaccurate information and privacy risks. Thepaper argues that AI is most beneficial when used as a learning assistant rather than as a substitute forstudents’ own thinking and academic work.Keywords: Artificial intelligence; academic performance; university students; generative AI; learning;academic integrity.