1.

Introduction

Education is necessary for development, and with emerging technologies it does not surprise us
that management education has been developed over time. Therefore, methods of teaching and
learning in particular have changed. With the use of emerging technologies, students can acquire
knowledge and skills through creative means (Ayite & Nyagorme, 2020). Management education
is related to aspects that include business and management within higher education institutions.
Theres a wide variety of modules that are taught which is closely related to management
education and it includes functions in management like Human Resource, Strategy, Finance,
Marketing, Accounting, Operations and Production. Often these modules are within their own
core disciplines and learnt at different levels as you graduate (Sociology, 2020). Gülen (2022)
surmise that artificial intelligence is an emerging technology because it is the main driver of new
technologies. Artificial intelligence is known as machines having the ability to imitate human
behaviour and minds through tools and programs (Begum, 2024). Artificial intelligence is
strongly related to higher education and its advancements have created new prospects for
learning among students and possibly changing the internal structure of education (Begum,
2024). It should be known that where artificial intelligence enters the educational space it will to
an extent alter how students learn and are being taught (Ayite & Nyagorme, 2020).Acar (2024)
surmises that artificial intelligence tool (Khanmigo, a chatbot) is already being used by Khan
Academy to tutor younger students, this research will look at artificial intelligence impacting the
students at university level, particularly within management education. It will be worthwhile to
seek findings whether artificial intelligence is common among university students. We will also
investigate whether the utilisation of artificial intelligence has made an impact on student
performances. Overall, it would be great if this study adds value to every learning aspect within
the education space (Ayite & Nyagorme, 2020).

1.1 Background of the study

The global pandemic has had a significant impact on the way education is delivered (LIoyd,
2020) and numerous researchers have expressed an interest in the integration of emerging
technologies in the educational level especially at the higher education level. With the rapid
growth of technology, there is an increasing need to understand how these emerging technologies
impact academic performance among university students. Artificial intelligence has a rich history
intertwined with the evolution of educational technologies. Students believe that technology has
a positive impact in the educational landscape, hence boosting educational effectiveness and
learning techniques. A study by Leevavathi and Surendhranatha (2024), suggests that AI tools
like ChatGPT have the potential to improve active learning, creativity and promote critical
thinking among students in management education. However, its integration in management
education has raised ethical concerns (Leelavathi & Surendharanatha, 2024). There is a
requirement for a deeper understanding of how different Artificial technology influence student's
academic performance in management education. This research focuses specifically on
management education, an area that is particularly ripe for technological innovation due to its
reliance on analytical skills and decision-making processes. The urgency of the problem lies in
the necessity for university students in management programs to comprehend and optimize the
use of technology to enhance their performance. Without a clear understanding of how AI
technologies affect academic performance, universities may struggle to effectively integrate
these tools into their curricula. University students require evidence-based guidance to
successfully incorporate emerging technologies in their academic activities to enhance their
academic performance (Criollo-C et al., 2023). Emerging technologies refer to the new and
innovative technologies that are now being developed or adopted in the Commerce and
management education field. Academic performance refers to how successful a student is in their
academics, as measured by grades (Criollo-C et al., 2023). This study aims to explore the
specific impacts of AI on management education, seeking to fill existing gaps and provide
actionable insights for enhancing educational practices in this domain.

1.2. Research Context

This research will focus on undergraduate and postgraduate students (excluding research degrees
such as Master’s and PhD) within the Commerce, Law, and Management (CLM) Faculty at a
public university in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa. Since COVID-19, universities
and schools started doing e-learning where students got exposure to artificial intelligence like
chatbots to assist them. We decided to conduct the research on university students because they
are pursuing a higher education (Jupalli et al., 2023). This context will allow for a targeted
examination of how AI impacts their academic performance within the specific disciplines of
commerce, law, and management.
1.3. Statement of the problem

In recent years, utilisation of artificial intelligence in higher education has become increasingly
popular(Chervona et al., 2023). ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence tool that generates texts like
a human would. ChatGPT changes the way educators teach and how students learn. It may be
incorporated into students critical writing, brainstorming, summarising notes, and personalised
learning (Atlas, 2023).

Educators have adopted the use of ChatGPT and realised that it helped them save time and they
were able to focus more time on aspects important to students (Nurtayeva et al., 2023). This has
raised a concern to find out if students who use ChatGPT would save them time, making an
impact on their performance. Students have multiple educational artificial intelligence tools to
utilise, like ChatGPT, Google assistant, paraphrasing tools and many more (Nurtayeva et al.,
2023). ChatGPT lacks emotions and human moral reasoning in context which causes a
limitation. It would affect student performance if ChatGPT is used to understand concepts in a
specific context. ChatGPT isn’t perfect, meaning it does not provide real time data, possibly
producing erroneous responses. Students may spend extra time on ChatGPT to get the response
they happy with, since the response received from ChatGPT will impact performance. ChatGPT
can be used in many realms including assisting students with academic tasks (Atlas, 2023).
Given these concerns, this study aims to investigate the impact of AI tools, specifically ChatGPT,
on student performance in management education. This research will address the gap in
understanding whether AI tools like ChatGPT positively or negatively affect academic outcomes.
The findings will provide valuable insights into the effective integration of AI in higher
education, particularly within the CLM disciplines and may change lecturers’attitudes towards
the acceptance and use of artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT (Kumar et al., 2023).
Considering these concerns mentioned, this study will seek findings on how artificial intelligence
like ChatGPT impacts student achievement and skills in commerce and management education.

1.4. Research Questions and Objectives

Research Questions

RQ1: What is the impact of artificial intelligence on university students’ academic performance?

RQ2: How are students using artificial intelligence to save time?

RQ3: How is the artificial intelligence developing students’ academic skills?

Research Objectives

The study was designed and conducted with the following objectives in mind:

• To investigate the impact of artificial intelligence on the academic performance of

students.
• To investigate if students save time by using artificial intelligence.
• To determine if artificial intelligence improves skills development of students

1.5 Research Contribution

Our research on the utilisation of artificial intelligence on student achievement among university
students is important and will contribute to the body of knowledge especially because we are in
the era of industry 4.0 technology. The use of artificial intelligence is increasing in all sectors
including education and our study will have results to show the impact of how students in
management education use AI for academic purposes. It is important to know if students are
using AI for academic purposes or not. It will contribute to educators’ decision-making about
students using AI for academic tasks. Especially because there is not much research done on this
specific topic in management education , we believe that it will be adding value and knowledge
to these lectures.

1.6 Outline of the Study

Chapter 1 starts with an introduction to the topic, providing a background to the topic of AI in
management education, the research problem is defined, and the research question and objectives
are stated. Also, the contribution or significance of this research is explained as well as a
summary of what each chapter will cover.

Chapter 2 covers the literature review. The chapter starts by Introducing the literature review,
Relevant theories related to AI and education are discussed. The dependent and independent
variables are revealed. The conceptual framework and the hypothesis are formulated.

Chapter 3 covers the research methods that were used to collect the data. The research
methodology, the research paradigm, research approach and research design are explored. The
target population for our research, sample size and sampling technique are explained in this
chapter. Data collection tools, Strategies, how we ensured reliability and validity, as well as
data analysis are covered. The ethical considerations we took into account when
conducting out study are presented.

Chapter 4 involves the analysis of the data. The demographics of the participants are described,
including demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and the field of study. Descriptive
statistics, encompassing the mean, standard deviation, and frequencies are summarized and
graphs and charts are used to illustrate the distribution and central tendencies of the data. The
reliability and validity of the measures used in the study are assessed to ensure that they have
consistency and accuracy. The hypotheses are tested and the main findings from the data are
provided.

Chapter 5 discusses the results of the data analysis, interpreting the results in relation to the
research questions and objectives. In demographics, any characteristics that may have influenced
the results are highlighted. The results of the proposed hypotheses are interpreted and related to
the literature review and research questions.

Chapter 6 provides an overview of the main findings, highlighting the outcomes of the study. The
research implications and contribution discussing the significance of the study are covered.
Recommendations are made on the study’s findings providing guidance for future research.
Limitations of the study are acknowledged, discussing potential biases, methodology limitations,
and areas for improvement.
References
Leelavathi, R., & Surendharanatha, R. C. (2024). ChatGPT in the classroom: navigating the
generative AI wave in management education. Journal of research and innovative
teaching & learning , 2397-7604. DOI:10.1108/JRIT-01-2024-0017.