Attitudes of Instructors Toward the Use and Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Online Higher Education

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes and perceptions of instructors toward the use and implication of artificial intelligence (AI) in online higher education spanning bachelor’s through doctorate level classroom instruction. 104 online higher education instructors were recruited through LinkedIn and the Colorado Technical University Teaching & Learning Center to complete a survey. Nonparametric statistical analysis was used to assess close-ended question responses and open-ended question responses were categorized. A significant difference in instructors’ concern for being displaced by AI in the next 2 years compared to the next 5 to 10 years was found at the bachelor’s level (p=0.04846). At the doctorate level, support for the use of AI in higher education was moderately correlated with concerns for being displaced by AI (rho=0.493, p=0.01058). Support for the use of AI in higher education by the instructor was moderately correlated with support for use of AI in the classroom by students (rho= 0.58199, p