Responsible practices and ethical behaviors in the use of artificial intelligence among university students

Background The growing incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education presents significant ethical challenges, particularly regarding the critical and responsible use of these technologies by students. In this context, the present study aimed to analyze responsible practices and ethical behaviors in the use of AI among students at the State University of Milagro. Methods A quantitative, explanatory-level approach was applied, employing a non-experimental and cross-sectional design, with a validated questionnaire administered to 716 participants from various academic programs. The analysis was conducted through structural equation modeling to explore the influence of affective, behavioral, and cognitive learning dimensions on the ethical dimension. Results The affective and cognitive dimensions exert a significant and positive impact on the development of learning ethics, while the behavioral component did not show statistically relevant effects. Additionally, the study evidenced high reliability and validity of the instrument, as well as a medium level of AI appropriation among students, with predominant use of tools such as ChatGPT. Conclusions Ethical training cannot be dissociated from emotional attitudes and technical knowledge about AI. The study acknowledges as limitations the non-probabilistic nature of the sample and the cross-sectional design.