Abstract:

The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education is transforming traditional teaching practices and reshaping the dynamics of knowledge production within universities. AI-based systems are increasingly capable of generating explanations, feedback, and problem-solving support that were traditionally associated with teaching activities. As these technologies become integrated into everyday academic work, new questions emerge regarding the distribution of pedagogical authority between teachers, students, and technological systems.

While existing research has largely focused on the technical capabilities, opportunities, and ethical risks of AI tools, less attention has been devoted to understanding how these systems affect the perceived roles, legitimacy, and responsibilities of educators in university learning environments. In particular, the emergence of increasingly agentic AI systems, capable of performing autonomous or semi-autonomous tasks, raises important questions about how academic authority is negotiated in AI-mediated educational settings across different institutional and cultural contexts.

The aim of this study is twofold: to explore how the integration of generative AI tools affects perceptions of pedagogical authority in higher education, and to identify emerging changes in the roles assigned to teachers and students in AI-mediated learning processes. The research adopts an exploratory empirical approach combining quantitative analysis and thematic coding of qualitative responses. Data were collected through an online survey administered to a sample of approximately 120–150 university students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate courses where AI tools are actively discussed or used for academic tasks, complemented by semi-structured interviews with 10–12 university instructors who have incorporated generative AI applications into their teaching practices. Participants were drawn from different higher education contexts, including Spain and selected Latin American countries such as Chile and Mexico, allowing for a comparative perspective.

The survey explores students’ patterns of AI use and their perceptions of AI-generated explanations, feedback, and problem-solving support. The qualitative interviews explore instructors’ experiences in integrating AI tools into teaching activities and their perceptions of the evolving role of educators in AI-mediated learning environments. The analysis focuses on how AI-mediated interactions influence the perceived legitimacy of academic authority, the role of teachers as knowledge experts, and the growing importance of critical supervision of algorithmically generated content.

Preliminary findings suggest that AI systems increasingly operate as intermediary knowledge agents within the learning process. While students value the accessibility, speed, and efficiency of AI-generated support, instructors highlight the need to redefine pedagogical authority in terms of guidance, critical evaluation, contextual interpretation, and ethical oversight of AI-assisted learning.

The study contributes to ongoing debates on artificial intelligence in higher education by providing empirical insights into how agentic AI reshapes pedagogical roles. The findings offer implications for teacher training, curriculum design, and institutional strategies aimed at integrating AI technologies while preserving meaningful educational interactions.

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, agentic AI, pedagogical authority, higher education, AI-mediated learning.