ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND INNOVATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS EDUCATORS IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This study investigates the transformative implications of artificial intelligence on fostering innovation among business educators in public universities in Anambra State, exploring its potential to revolutionize teaching methodologies, entrepreneurial thinking, and sustainable business solutions. Four research questions guided the study, and four null hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance.  A survey research design was adopted. The study was carried out in Anambra State of Nigeria. The population of the study was 36 business educators in public universities who teach business education in Anambra State (Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 29, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbaria Campus 7). No sample was taken, as the population size was manageable. The questionnaire was validated, and a pilot study was conducted to assess its reliability. A structured questionnaire with 28 items validated by two experts was used as the instrument to collect data from the respondents. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data in relation to the research questions. The study revealed that AI automation has a profoundly positive impact on creativity among business educators. It was found that AI plays a crucial role in data analysis and provides insights for innovation. The study also found that there was concern over the over-dependence of business educators on AI for creative tasks, expressing the need for a balance between AI automation and human creativity. The study highlighted the issues of job displacement caused by AI in the field of innovation among business educators, recognizing the need for upskilling and reskilling to adapt to the changing role of AI in their profession. The study recommended delving into the development and implementation of best practices for business educators on the appropriate and effective use of AI in fostering innovation.