Cultural Dimensions of AI Integration: Working with Diverse Doctoral Students

• In Event: Faculty Roles in Transition: Navigating Generative AI in Doctoral Education

Abstract

This presentation examines our experiences navigating cultural differences in AI perception, adoption, and use among 18 international doctoral students from 12 countries. As faculty members implementing AI-informed pedagogy, we discovered that cultural backgrounds significantly influence how students approach these technologies, raising important considerations for equitable and inclusive teaching practices.
Our work with this diverse cohort revealed several distinct patterns in how cultural contexts shape engagement with AI. Students from countries with strong collectivist traditions often approached AI collaboration differently than those from more individualistic societies, particularly regarding questions of authorship and attribution. Students from regions with limited AI access or restrictive AI policies brought different perspectives on privacy and surveillance concerns. Additionally, students' prior educational experiences—particularly regarding emphasis on memorization versus critical thinking—influenced their conceptualization of AI's appropriate role in scholarly work.
These cultural variations manifested in several concrete ways. For example, when introducing AI-assisted literature review techniques, we observed that students from educational systems emphasizing comprehensive knowledge demonstration were initially more reluctant to use AI for literature synthesis, expressing concerns about scholarly obligation and intellectual development. Conversely, students from traditions emphasizing efficiency and pragmatism more readily embraced these tools but sometimes needed additional guidance on critical evaluation of AI outputs.
Language differences added another layer of complexity. For non-native English speakers, AI tools offered potential writing support but raised concerns about authentic voice development. Some international students viewed AI as potentially equalizing access to academic English, while others worried about becoming dependent on AI rather than developing their scholarly voice. These tensions required us to develop nuanced approaches to writing pedagogy that acknowledged both the benefits and risks of AI writing assistance for multilingual scholars.
Our presentation will share specific strategies we developed to address these cultural dimensions, including:
Culturally responsive discussion protocols that explicitly acknowledge different perspectives on AI use
Comparative exercises examining how AI systems reflect or exclude diverse knowledge traditions
Collaborative development of ethical guidelines that incorporate multiple cultural perspectives on authorship and knowledge production
Differentiated approaches to AI literacy that account for varying levels of prior exposure and access
We will also address how these experiences have shaped our understanding of faculty roles in an AI-integrated academic landscape. Working with diverse doctoral students has highlighted the importance of faculty serving not just as technical guides but as cultural navigators who can help students reconcile AI use with their cultural values and disciplinary traditions.
The presentation concludes by considering implications for sustainable, culturally inclusive approaches to AI in doctoral education. We argue that faculty must move beyond one-size-fits-all policies to develop flexible frameworks that acknowledge cultural differences while maintaining core academic values. This approach requires ongoing dialogue with students about how AI intersects with their cultural identities and scholarly aspirations—a time-intensive but essential component of responsible AI integration.

Authors

• Nydia C. Sánchez, University of San Diego

• Marilee Bresciani Ludvik, University of San Diego