ChatGPT Usage among Futa First-Year Undergraduates: Ethical Considerations and Perceptions

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly transformed several sectors, including education, where technology is increasingly being used to facilitate the teaching and learning process. ChatGPT, being a prominent tool of artificial intelligence, possesses numerous capabilities that make it a valuable resource for students. These capabilities include essay writing and research, creating content for assignments, and personalised learning, among others. However, ChatGPT usage raises many ethical concerns, such as plagiarism, which is a serious academic offence, and heavy reliance on it may affect students’ critical thinking. The first-year students at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, are offered a mandatory course in English for Academic Purpose (EAP), which includes writing a term paper on contemporary issues, in which they are expected to consult online materials widely. Hinged on the Technology Acceptance Model, this paper aims to investigate the level of awareness of ChatGPT among students, explore their perceptions and attitudes towards its usage, and examine the ethical concerns that students associate with it. Using a structured questionnaire in an electronic format, with a sample size of 470 students, this study focuses on students’ usage of ChatGPT, their perceptions, and ethical considerations. Findings indicate that there is a high level of awareness and adoption of ChatGPT among the students; they consider the tool as a reliable and valuable academic resource. However, some of them reported encountering challenges, particularly with accuracy, contextual relevance, and occasional misinformation. The findings suggest a low awareness of ethical and institutional guidelines concerning the adoption and usage of ChatGPT. The study recommends that institutional policies on AI usage be developed, including guidelines for citation and attribution of AI-generated content.