Abstract:

The increasing presence of generative AI in education has created a need to understand how university students perceive and engage with these technologies. Contributions from this study clarify the current scope of media literacy needs and discuss the efforts for responsible AI use and implementing media literacy into university education. Such standards may apply across most disciplines and departments. This research study examines students’ attitudes toward AI in higher education by comparing respondents from Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia) and St. Petersburg College (Florida, United States). The study aims to explore how students from different academic and cultural contexts perceive the use of generative AI in their study and research activities, and in the various media forms they encounter. The data were collected using a survey questionnaire administered to a total of 165 students (110 from Slovakia and 55 from Florida). The survey focused on how students perceived their media literacy practices, and what their educational interests related to responsible AI use were. The results showed several similarities and differences between the two student groups. In terms of AI familiarity, Slovak students reported a higher average level of comfort with generative AI tools compared to American students. Regarding media literacy, American students expressed slightly greater confidence in their ability to distinguish real news from misinformation. However, differences appeared in fact-checking behaviour on social media: while a larger share of American students stated that they always fact-check information (21.8% compared to 13.6% of Slovak students), Slovak students reported fact-checking frequently more often (39.1% compared to 23.6% of American students). Across both institutions, students demonstrated strong interest in developing competencies related to responsible and critical use of AI, as well as the ability to identify manipulated media, including AI-generated articles, social media content, and study materials. The findings highlight the growing importance of integrating AI literacy, ethical awareness, and media literacy into university curricula to support students in navigating AI-driven digital environments.

Keywords:

AI in education, media literacy, student attitudes, misinformation.