Ethical Challenges in the use of AI among College Students

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have become an integral part of higher education by supporting students in learning, research, assignments, and academic activities. However, the increasing use of AI tools has also raised several ethical challenges related to academic integrity, plagiarism, originality, privacy, and the responsible use of AIgenerated content. The present study aims to identify the challenges faced by college students towards the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in higher education and to offer suitable suggestions for promoting their ethical and responsible use. The study was conducted among 300 College students in Pollachi Taluk using a descriptive research design and a convenience sampling technique. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire, while secondary data were obtained from books, journals, research articles, and authentic online sources. The collected data were analysed using Percentage Analysis, Chi-Square Test, and Ranking Analysis. The findings reveal that students experience several challenges in the ethical use of AI tools, particularly in determining the ethical acceptability of AI-generated content, avoiding plagiarism, maintaining originality, and evaluating the reliability of AI-generated information. The study concludes that educational institutions should strengthen AI ethics awareness, establish clear institutional guidelines, and promote responsible AI usage to ensure academic integrity and ethical learning practices among students.