Me and My AI Bot: Exploring the 'AIholic' Phenomenon and University Students' Dependency on Generative AI Chatbots - Is This the New Academic Addiction?

Abstract Amidst the buzz of technological advancement in education, our study unveils a more disconcerting narrative surrounding student chatbot interactions. Our investigation has found that students, primarily driven by intrinsic motivations like competence and relatedness, increasingly lean on chatbots. This dependence is not just a preference but borders on an alarming reliance, magnified exponentially by their individual risk perceptions. While celebrating AI's rapid integration in education is tempting, our results raise urgent red flags. Many hypotheses were supported, pointing toward a potential over-dependence on chatbots. Nevertheless, the unpredictable outcomes were most revealing, exposing the unpredictable terrain of AI's role in education. It is no longer a matter of if but how deep the rabbit hole of dependency goes. As we stand on the cusp of an educational revolution, caution is urgently needed. Before we wholly embrace chatbots as primary educators, it is imperative to understand the repercussions of replacing human touch with AI interactions. This study serves as a stark wake-up call, urging stakeholders to reconsider the unchecked integration of chatbots in learning environments. The future of education may very well be digital, but at what cost to human connection and autonomy?