Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence Use in Academic Research among Egyptian University Academics: Awareness, Adoption, Challenges, and Expected Impact
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64169/dje.242Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, Academic Research, Egyptian Universities, Higher Education, MENA, Academic Integrity, Technology Adoption, Sustainable Development, SustainabilityAbstract
This study investigates the perceptions of Egyptian university academics regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic research. Adopting a quantitative descriptive survey design, the study administered a structured questionnaire to a purposive sample of 105 participants affiliated with Egyptian universities, including lecturers (n = 50), researchers (n = 40), instructors (n = 10), and students (n = 5). The instrument comprised 20 items organized across four dimensions: AI awareness, actual AI use, challenges to AI adoption, and expected impact of AI on research quality. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings reveal high overall AI awareness (M = 2.37 on a 3-point scale) alongside low-to-moderate actual use (M = 2.00), indicating a pronounced awareness-to-practice gap. The challenges dimension recorded the highest mean (M = 2.52), with insufficient professional training (85.7% agreement) and ethical concerns about research originality (71.4% agreement) emerging as the most salient barriers. Participants held guarded optimism about AI's expected impact on research quality (M = 2.34), particularly regarding efficiency and creativity. These findings, understood as participants’ perceptions rather than objective measures of institutional reality, highlight the urgent need for structured AI literacy programs, institutional policy frameworks, and digital infrastructure investments at Egyptian universities. The study contributes to the limited empirical literature on AI adoption in Egyptian and broader MENA higher-education contexts and identifies directions for future research.
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