The Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools in Academic Research: Knowledge, Use and Ethical Issues Related to Their Usage

The increasing application of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic research is transforming traditional research methods, enhancing their efficiency, accuracy, and creativity. This paper examines the awareness, use, and ethical aspects of AI tools by postgraduates and research scholars in different disciplines. The study utilized a qualitative approach, employing a structured questionnaire to assess the participants' understanding of AI tools, their frequency of use, their benefits, challenges, and ethical considerations. The preferences reveal that there is a low level of the participants’ knowledge about the AI tools, the most popular and commonly used of which are the PLG tools such as Grammarly and ChatGPT Participants showed poor recognition and adoption of other tools used for data analysis, literature review, and predictive modeling. The participants stated the usefulness of AI tools in drafting and conducting the literature review, as they cut down on time and improve efficiency. However, this study identified other issues that hindering the optimal use of the technology, such as inadequate end-user training, technical difficulties, ethical concerns about technology use, privacy concerns, and algorithmic discrimination. Ethical considerations, including plagiarism risks, ownership of AI-generated content, and over-reliance on AI reducing critical thinking, were highlighted, underscoring the need for guidelines and educational interventions to address these issues. Recommendations include offering targeted workshops, integrating AI literacy into academic curricula, and establishing institutional frameworks to guide ethical AI usage.