Assessment of the level of knowledge on artificial intelligence in a sample of university professors: A descriptive study

Abstract

Introduction: the knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) by university professors provides them with the ability to effectively integrate these innovative technological tools, resulting in a significant improvement in the quality of the teaching and learning process. Objective: to assess the level of knowledge about AI in a sample of Peruvian university professors. Methods: quantitative study, non-experimental design and descriptive cross-sectional type. The sample consisted of 55 university professors of both sexes who were administered a questionnaire to assess their level of knowledge about AI, which had adequate metric properties. Results: the level of knowledge about AI was low for 41,8 % of professors, regular for 40 %, and high for 18,2 %. This indicates that there is a significant gap in the knowledge of university professors about AI and its application in education, which could limit their ability to fully leverage AI tools and applications in the educational environment and could affect the quality and effectiveness of teaching. Likewise, it was determined that age and self-perception of digital competencies of professors were significantly associated with their level of knowledge about AI (p<0,05). Conclusions: peruvian university professors are characterized by presenting a low level of knowledge about AI. Therefore, it is recommended to implement training and professional development programs focused on artificial intelligence, in order to update and improve their skills in this field.