AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FOR ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES IN NORTHWEST UNIVERSITY, KANO

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education globally by reshaping how students learn, research, and interact with digital resources. However, in developing contexts like Nigeria, limited studies have explored students’ familiarity with and practical use of AI in academic work. This study investigates the awareness and utilization of AI tools by undergraduate students at Northwest University, Kano. It explores the extent of students’ familiarity with AI technologies, how effectively they use them for academic activities, and the factors influencing their adoption. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with a sample of 200 students across four faculties. Findings revealed that while awareness of tools such as ChatGPT (82%) and Grammarly (78%) was relatively high, utilization remained moderate (mean score = 3.46/5). Students primarily used AI for writing, grammar checking, and paraphrasing but faced challenges including lack of training (72%) and limited internet access (58%). Statistical tests showed significant differences in AI utilization across faculties and levels of study. The study emphasizes the need for targeted AI literacy programs, curriculum integration, and improved infrastructure to foster ethical and effective AI use in Nigerian universities.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, undergraduate students, awareness, utilization, Northwest University Kano, education technology