Opportunities, Feasibility and the Impact of Generative AI on Students in the Digital Technology for Business Program

Abstract

The application of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI) in teaching and learning has brought about transformative changes. This research has three main objectives: (1) to analyze students' opinions on the opportunities increased by using Generative AI; (2) to explore students' perspectives on the feasibility of integrating Generative AI to develop their skills in four essential areas of the curriculum—education, software development, art, and business; and (3) to assess the impact of Generative AI on students' learning, attitudes, and skill development related to digital business. The sample group consisted of 48 fourth-year students from the Digital Technology for Business program at Silpakorn University. The instructor selected case studies that applied Generative AI in four areas aligned with the program’s learning outcomes: education, software development, design and art, and business. The research was conducted over two months, starting with instruction on the use of Generative AI tools in each area, followed by practical exercises. The students' assignments in each domain were collected, and surveys were conducted to analyze and evaluate the results. The findings showed that all 48 students were able to apply Generative AI effectively. Within one month, the use of Generative AI tools in different domains increased significantly, with 60.42% of students using Chabot. The frequency of usage increased from "never used" to 20 times per month for 18.75% of students. The highest frequency was 1–5 times per month, accounting for 41.67%. Students primarily used Generative AI for homework or assigned tasks, followed by coding and language translation in nearly equal proportions, with video editing being the least common use. Students rated the overall opportunities, feasibility, and impacts of Generative AI across all four areas as high. This indicates that students are prepared to learn and engage with Generative AI while recognizing its opportunities, feasibility, and impacts. Instructors can leverage the benefits of Generative AI by encouraging students to use this technology for research and assignments, while providing opportunities for students to share their experiences on how Generative AI improved their learning efficiency. This approach helps prepare students to adapt to modern technologies in the future.