Navigating generative AI in higher education: Freshers’ perceptions of ethics in AI, digital learning behavior, and institutional norms
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are rapidly reshaping academic practices in higher education. While global debates focus on academic integrity, authorship, and assessment reform, empirical evidence from developing contexts remains limited. This study investigates first-year university students’ perceptions of generative AI in academic work, focusing on ethical awareness, learning adaptation, and expectations for institutional guidance. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 213 undergraduate students across multiple disciplines. The instrument included demographic variables and Likert-scale items measuring attitudes toward AI collaboration, plagiarism awareness, and confidence in distinguishing AI-generated content, motivation to improve AI skills, and demand for university policy frameworks. Descriptive and comparative analyses reveal generally positive attitudes toward AI as a learning support tool, accompanied by high ethical concern and strong demand for institutional guidelines. Disciplinary variation suggests differing levels of comfort and adaptive engagement with AI tools. The findings indicate that students do not view AI solely as a shortcut mechanism but as an emerging academic partner requiring structured governance and literacy development. The study contributes to ongoing discussions on AI integration in higher education by foregrounding student agency in a Global South context and offering pedagogical and policy implications for responsible AI adoption.