Navigating Change: Generative AI and the Transformation of University Faculty Work

• In Event: 41021 - Student Forum Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Roundtable 13: Technology and the Evolution of Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced significant shifts in the professional practices of university faculty, challenging their established roles and professional identities. This study examines how faculty members at higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) navigate these disruptions, particularly in a policy landscape characterized by strong top-down AI integration initiatives. Drawing on 16 semi-structured interviews with faculty across diverse institutional and disciplinary contexts, the research explores the interplay between professional identity, disciplinary norms, and technology adoption. Findings indicate that faculty responses to AI adoption are shaped by their disciplinary backgrounds, professional communities, and institutional policies. Additionally, a pronounced generational gap in AI adoption between faculty and students has led to tensions in student-faculty relationships, eroding trust and reshaping pedagogical practices. This study contributes to sociological understandings of technological change by illustrating how professional communities mediate responses to AI and how intergenerational differences influence the adaptation of educational practices in the digital age.

Author

• Anna Karolina Rygielska, New York University Abu Dhabi