Ethical and privacy concerns in artificial intelligence dialogue systems: Do students in higher education really care about them

This work-in-progress paper investigates on whether students in higher education really care about the ethical and privacy concerns in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) dialogue systems. Based on semi-structured interviews of 37 undergraduate students, this study uncovered a variety of viewpoints. The study found that despite their awareness of ethical and privacy concerns in the use of AI dialogue systems, the majority of students did not put much effort in addressing these issues. Around 75% of the students prioritized efficient and effective university assignment completion with the help of AI dialogue systems over these ethical and privacy concerns. The study also revealed that cultural differences influenced students’ attitudes towards ethical and privacy concerns. Specifically, students from high-context cultures, where a significant portion of communication relies on shared experiences, implicit cues, and non-verbal elements, showed less concern compared to those from low-context cultures, where their communication relies heavily on explicit messages, direct language, and precise information. This study recommends several strategies to address privacy and ethical concerns, including the development of comprehensive data management policies, the use of data anonymization and minimization techniques, and the enforcement of stringent security measures to prevent data breaches.