Measuring Honduran University Students’ Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence: A Multidimensional Assessment Using The Gaais Scale In Higher Education

The growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI (GenAI), is transforming educational processes, academic dynamics, and the interaction between humans and digital technologies in higher educa-tion. Despite this, there is still limited empirical evidence from contexts in the Global South that allows us to understand how students perceive its in-tegration into academic environments. In this context, the present study aims to analyze attitudes toward GenAI among Honduran university stu-dents by applying the General Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS), providing contextualized evidence on technology adoption among students at Honduran public and private universities. A cross-sectional quan-titative research design was employed, involving a sample of 423 university students representing diverse academic disciplines. The results show that students recognize AI as a significant technological advance and value its contribution to learning and academic development. However, these favora-ble perceptions coexist with concerns related to data privacy, the reliability of the information generated, and the ethical implications of its use. Like-wise, a significant proportion of participants express rejection of critical deci-sion-making by automated systems and maintain a preference for human su-pervision. The analysis indicates that sociodemographic variables have a lim-ited influence on attitudes, although significant differences emerge across disciplinary areas. The findings suggest that GenAI adoption remains at a transitional stage, marked by functional acceptance alongside critical scruti-ny. Accordingly, the study underscores the need to advance AI literacy, es-tablish robust ethical frameworks, and implement institutional policies that support the responsible and sustainable integration of these technologies within higher education systems.