Ethics, Innovation, and Learning: Student Perspectives on Generative AI Adoption in University Practices

Resumen

Generative artificial intelligence (AI), particularly ChatGPT, has reshaped learning processes in higher education by offering new opportunities alongside emerging challenges. Although its use has rapidly expanded, questions remain regarding how students integrate it into their academic practices, what perceptions they hold about its effectiveness, and which ethical implications arise from its application. This study aimed to analyze university students’ perceptions and experiences regarding the use of generative AI tools, identifying associated benefits, limitations, and ethical considerations. A qualitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional approach was adopted, using focus groups with students from a Honduran university. Data were transcribed, validated, and analyzed through thematic coding based on a predefined category framework. Discourse saturation was visualized through a word cloud, a heat map, and a conceptual network. The findings revealed that students frequently use ChatGPT as support for content generation, information retrieval, and text refinement. However, they also noted limitations in accuracy, particularly in areas involving mathematics and programming. The study concludes that AI adoption among students is primarily driven by functional considerations, with ethical reflection remaining at an early stage. These results underscore the need for educational strategies that integrate critical and ethical training into the use of AI