Speaker
Description
Ridwan, S. M.
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
smridwan@abu.edu.ng
Track: AI, Emerging Technologies and Future Learning
This study examined the adoption and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for the conduct of research by academics in the Department of Library and Information Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The study was guided by three objectives: to determine academics' awareness of AI technologies for research, examine the extent of their utilization across research activities, and identify strategies for enhancing their responsible adoption. The study was anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised 20 academic staff members in the department, and a total enumeration technique was employed because the population was small and manageable. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Questionnaire on the Adoption of Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Research among Academics. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency counts, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviations. The findings revealed that respondents had high awareness of widely used AI technologies such as ChatGPT, Grammarly AI, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot, while awareness of Scite Assistant and ResearchRabbit was relatively low. AI technologies were widely utilized for academic writing, proofreading, literature searching, topic development, and reference management but were less frequently used for data analysis. The study concluded that AI technologies have significant potential to improve research productivity and quality when supported by adequate training, institutional policies, ethical guidelines, and the critical verification of AI-generated outputs. The study recommended continuous capacity building and institutional support to promote the responsible and effective adoption of AI technologies in academic research.