The promise and pitfalls: A literature review of generative artificial intelligence as a learning assistant in ICT education

“You are imparting human qualities to it because it looks human—but I assure you: it is not. If it were a box on wheels, I would not be facing this opposition.” Commander Bruce Maddox spoke these words during a Star Trek, The Next Generation episode as Lieutenant Commander Data faced an enquiry into his sentience. Similarly, this literature review explores the role of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in education, specifically examining its function as a learning assistant within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) discipline in higher education. Using AI-powered tools such as Litmaps and Google Scholar, we conducted an iterative search and reviewed 26 peer-reviewed articles, focusing on the use of GenAI tools as learning assistants in ICT education. We adhered to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure methodological rigour, excluding non-ICT populations, secondary sources, and non-peer-reviewed literature. The findings highlight the manifold advantages of integrating GenAI into ICT education, including its ability to diagnose programming code, provide tailored feedback, and serve as a valuable learning aid. However, significant challenges were also identified, particularly the tendency of novice programmers to uncritically accept GenAI-generated output, concerns over academic integrity violations, and issues surrounding the privacy of personal information. We pinpoint that the integration of GenAI influences four key components: Andragogy, Assessment, Integrity, and Privacy. As GenAI becomes more entrenched in educational practices, this research provides a foundation for further exploration and refinement to maximise its transformative potential in higher education.