ChatGPT: a transformative role in academia–insights into academic staff performance since adoption
| Date | 09 December 2024 |
| Pages | 32-53 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-07-2024-0097 |
| Published date | 09 December 2024 |
| Author | Mouad Sadallah,Saeed Awadh Bin-Nashwan,Abderrahim Benlahcene |
ChatGPT: a transformative role in
academia–insights into academic staff
performance since adoption
Mouad Sadallah
Department of Accounting, College of Business Administration,
University of Ha’il, Hail, Saudi Arabia
Saeed Awadh Bin-Nashwan
Department of Accounting, College of Commerce and Business Administration,
Dhofar University, Salalah, Oman, and
Abderrahim Benlahcene
Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Sciences, Humanities and
Social Sciences Research Center, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
Abstract
Purpose –The escalating integration of AI tools like ChatGPT within academia poses a critical challenge
regarding their impactonfaculty members’andresearchers’academic performance levels. This paper aimsto
delve into academic performancewithin the context of the ChatGPT era by exploring the influence of several
pivotal predictors,such as academic integrity, academiccompetence, personal best goals and perceived stress,
as well as the moderatingeffect of ChatGPT adoption onacademic performance.
Design/methodology/approach –This study uses a quantitative method to investigate the impact of
essential variables on academic integrity, academic competence, perceived stress and personalbest goals by
analysing402 responses gathered from ResearchGateand Academia.edu sites.
Findings –While affirming the established direct positive relationship between academic integrity and
performance since adopting AI tools, this research revealed a significantmoderatingrole of ChatGPT adoption on
this relationship. Additionally, the authors shed light on thepositive relationship between academic competence
and performance in the ChatGPT era and the ChatGPTadoption-moderated interaction of competence and
performance. Surprisingly, a negative association emerges between personal best goals and academic
performance within ChatGPT-assisted environments. Notably, the study underscores a significant relationship
between heightened performance throughChatGPT and increased perceived stress among academicians.
Practical implications –The research advocates formulating clear ethical guidelines, robust support
mechanisms and stress-management interventions to maintain academic integrity, enhance competence and
prioritiseacademic professionals’well-being in navigatingthe integration of AI tools in modern academia.
Originality/value –This research stands out for its timeliness and the apparent gaps in currentliterature.
There is notably little research on the use of ChatGPTin academic settings, making this investigation among
the first to delve intohow faculty and researchers in education use OpenAI.
Keywords Academic performance, Artificial intelligence, Perceived stress, Academic integrity,
ChatGPT
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
In the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), ChatGPT stands as a testament to the
fusion of human intelligence and technological capabilities (Dalalah and Dalalah, 2023).
JICES
23,1
32
Received19 July2024
Revised28 Oc tober2024
Accepted 17 November2024
Journalof Information,
Communicationand Ethics in
Society
Vol.23 No. 1, 2025
pp. 32-53
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1477-996X
DOI 10.1108/JICES-07-2024-0097
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/1477-996X.htm
Crafted by OpenAI, AI-driven chatbots epitomise the pinnacle of natural language
processing, proficiently engaging in multifaceted conversations, assisting in diverse tasks
and showing a remarkable level of comprehension and text generation that blurs the
distinction between human-machineinteractions (Dowling and Lucey, 2023;Dwivedi et al.,
2023;Jimenez, 2023). AI-driven chatbots hold the potential to significantly influence
education (Ratten and Jones, 2023;Duonget al.,2023;Lo, 2023;Cotton et al., 2023;Alser
and Waisberg,2023;Bouteraa et al., 2024a). Unlike specializedAI systems designed for data
analysis or computational tasks,ChatGPT generates human-like responses and emerges with
versatility in delivering personalised learning experiences and providing instant access to
vast information repositories that could revolutionise traditional learning methods (Monib
et al., 2024;Choi et al.,2023). This transformative technology platform may redefine how
educators craft course materials,develop interactive lessons and engagestudents in
immersive learningexperiences, potentially reshaping the educationallandscape.
Digital solutions play an important rolein individual and organisational performance (Li
et al., 2024). Delving into the context of academic staffperformance, ChatGPT’s capabilities
have become particularly relevant(Lund and Wang, 2023;Ratten and Jones, 2023) and have
the potential to boost educators’efficiency and effectiveness within educational institutions
(Bin-Nashwan et al., 2023a,2023b). By assisting in research, aiding in creating innovative
teaching materials, and offering personalised supportto users,ChatGPT could enhance the
productivity of academic staff and researchers (Cotton et al.,2023;Bin-Nashwan et al.,
2023a,2023b). Furthermore, its capacity to handle routine queries or administrative tasks
may allow educators to focus more on high-value activities, for instance, fostering critical
thinking, guiding students through intricate topics and engaging in collaborative research
activities (Meyer et al., 2023;Cotton et al., 2023). Thus, ChatGPT has the capacity to not
only revolutionise educationitself but also considerably impact the performance and roles of
academic staff andresearchers in this ever-evolving landscape.
However, the inclusion of ChatGPT within academia depicts a multifaceted landscape
replete with both opportunitiesand challenges (Lund and Wang, 2023;Rahmanet al., 2023).
As this technology pervades educational settings, the central concern of reinforcing
academic integrity, rigor and ethical conduct becomes a critical focus (Eke, 2023;Bin-
Nashwan et al., 2023a,2023b).Theadoption of AI tools like ChatGPT inresearch, scholarly
pursuits and academic assistanceintroduces a complex terrain where the boundaries between
original thought, collaboration and automated assistance blur (Cotton et al., 2023;Shiri,
2023;Lo, 2023;Alser and Waisberg, 2023). Such challenges necessitate a critical
examination of the influence of ChatGPT onthe academic landscape, particularlyin the
realm of performance assessment.
The focal point of our study resides in the intricate relationship between academic
performance and the adoption of ChatGPT within educational contexts. As academia
grapples with integrating AI tools, the question of how this technology impacts academic
performance becomes paramount. It raises concerns about the authenticity of work, the
influence of AI-driven chatbots on individualacademic competence and stress perception
and the alignment of personal best goals(PBG) within this AI-driven academic environment.
Theoretical discourse on the implications of AI adoption in educational settings highlight a
notable research gap.Despitetheburgeoning presenceofChatGPT andsimilarAI-driven
tools in academia (Lo, 2023;Cottonet al., 2023;Alser and Waisberg, 2023;Farrokhniaet al.,
2023;Lund and Wang,2023;Rahman et al.,2023;Dowling and Lucey, 2023;Dwivediet al.,
2023;Jimenez, 2023), empirical investigations into their impact on academic performance,
specifically within thecontext of academic integrity, academic competence,stress perception
Journal of
Information,
Communication
and Ethics in
Society
33
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