The Relationship Between the Use of Artificial Intelligence and Self-Assessed Digital Competence in Higher Education

Abstract

The spread of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has fundamentally transformed the teaching and learning process in higher education. The aim of our research was to examine whether there is a correlation between the frequency of AI use among students and their self-assessed AI competence. The study was based on a voluntary online questionnaire completed by 487 students at Óbuda University. The questionnaire asked about, among other things, the frequency of AI tool use, self-assessed AI readiness, and attitudes toward AI. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data. The results show a positive, weak to moderate correlation between the frequency of AI use and self-assessed AI preparedness (r=0.27). This suggests that students who use AI more frequently feel more prepared to use technology. The results of the research confirm the assumption that the use of AI is in itself a learning process that contributes to the development of students' digital competences. For higher education, this means that the conscious and reflective integration of AI can not only be a tool for increasing efficiency but can also be interpreted as a competence-developing pedagogical environment.