AI Personas: Can LLMs Replace Fieldwork in Experiential Learning?

Abstract

Given the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, endless potential is reshaping how students learn, exceeding the boundaries of time, place and the variety of learning modalities. This study explores the ability of AI personas to replicate or refine the benefits of experiential learning, particularly in crisis-affected educational contexts. By conducting a literature review and qualitative analysis of student reflections and AI-generated dialogue, this research measures how effective the text-based AI personas, developed through carefully crafted prompts and outputs, can simulate real-world field interactions. The study centers on students participating in the Experiential Learning HEHI 303 course as part of the Certificate in Innovation Management in Contexts of Uncertainty at the American University of Beirut, who, as a result of the war outbreak in Lebanon, were unable to conduct fieldwork. In response, AI personas were introduced as alternatives for conducting virtual interviews and stakeholder engagement exercises. The findings imply that while AI personas can demonstrate a degree of emotional authenticity, cultural sensitivity, and contextual relevance, they also show limitations in fully capturing the spontaneity and unpredictability of humans. Instances of bias and lack of depth were observed in some responses. However, the study emphasizes the growing value of AI personas in educational settings especially when physical fieldwork is not feasible, while emphasizing the importance of prompt design and human oversight in AI-mediated learning.