Abstract:

In recent times, the emergence of AI and the generalization of its use has spread a lot. AI and deep learning and machine learning systems are disrupting multiple sectors of activity. The transformation of routines, processes and professions is growing. Among affected areas, higher education is one of those that may suffer the greatest impact in a few years. In November 2022, OpenAI.com released its Chat-GPT tool in beta. Since then, university students and professors have been adapting their routines with the incorporation of the tool. Since it is not possible to stop AI, scholars must address a topic of great relevance and urgency.

This research takes as its starting point the four universal moral competences (Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina, 2013) and carries out a review of the literature to formulate a decalogue of challenges that should be taken into consideration by high education students and lecturers.

To define the adaptation of the moral stages, four steps are followed. First, the impact of these new technologies on the effort and performance of the students is developed according to the principles of moral sensitivity, according to the available choice options for the students (Jones 1991; Hannah et al. 2011). Second, it reflects on moral judgment as the ability to select “good” or “bad” options (Rest, 1986). Third, the available knowledge about moral motivation (Melé, 2005) and the elements that inhibit individual action (Descano and Narváez, 1994) are expanded. Fourth, the moral character in the use of AI is developed, according to components such as frustration and temptations (Hannah et al., 2011) and unethical behavior (Trevino et al., 2006).

The referential framework for the analysis of this paper combines three academic traditions: (a) literature on competences in labor relations (Hoffmann, 1999; Cheetham and Chivers, 2005); (b) literature on the educational perspective and the performance of competences as an expected result of an educational process (Gamero, 2009; Guillén et al., 2007); (c) literature on organizational factors typical of the ethical culture of the environment of individuals (e.g. regulatory framework of the university, policies and norms, structure of rewards and punishments, and conduct codes (Tenbrunsel and Smith-Crowe, 2008; Fraedrich et al., 2011).

The purpose of this research is to offer guidance to lecturers who wish to outline moral competences that can influence in the specific components of the students' ethical decision-making process by using AI in their activities. For this, the paper evaluates the factors that facilitate ethical behavior (Kish-Gephart et al., 2010), by defining ethical or moral competence that includes knowledge, skills and abilities leading to ethical behavior for the use of AI in classroom.

A relevant contribution of the study is to delve into a redefinition of four differentiated moral stages: sensitivity, judgment, motivation, and character. The results allow building the new theory on the moral responsibility of students in the use of AI for decision-making in the learning process. Future research should develop scales that make it possible to identify biases and spurious uses of AI in higher education.

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, Ethics, Moral, Decision-making.