Educators’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence in higher education: a systematic review of influencing factors and hr implications
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Abstract
This systematic review examines educators' attitudes toward AI in higher education, analyzing adoption drivers, ethical concerns, and institutional support. Using PRISMA guidelines, we analyzed 26 studies (2018-2024) from Scopus and Google Scholar, categorizing findings into cognitive (knowledge), affective (ethical worries), and contextual (support) dimensions. Results show educators' AI acceptance depends on their technical understanding, ethical considerations, and institutional backing. While AI boosts productivity through automation, concerns about dehumanization and bias create resistance, with adoption varying by digital literacy and regional policies. We propose a model positioning educators as key stakeholders in AI integration. Practical recommendations include hands-on training, ethical guidelines, and inclusive decision-making to balance technological progress with human needs for sustainable implementation. The study highlights the need to address both technical and human factors in AI adoption.
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How to Cite
Yulianto, Y., Junaidi, J., & Saryono, U. (2025). Educators’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence in higher education: a systematic review of influencing factors and hr implications. Enrichment : Journal of Management, 15(4), 410-423. https://doi.org/10.35335/enrichment.v15i4.2372
References
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Alghamdi, A. M. (2024). Academic Leaders' Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence Applications in Leadership Work in Light of the Diffusion of Innovation Theory: The Impact of Possession of Digital Literacy. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 8(1), n1.
Allam, A. H., Eltewacy, N. K., Alabdallat, Y. J., Owais, T. A., Salman, S., Ebada, M. A., & Group, E. (2023). Knowledge, attitude, and perception of Arab medical students towards artificial intelligence in medicine and radiology: A multi-national cross-sectional study. Eur Radiol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-023-10509-2
Bhandari, A., Purchuri, S. N., Sharma, C., Ibrahim, M., & Prior, M. (2021). Knowledge and attitudes towards artificial intelligence in imaging: a look at the quantitative survey literature. Clin Imaging, 80, 413-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.08.004
Cao, G., Duan, Y., Edwards, J. S., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2021). Understanding managers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions towards using artificial intelligence for organizational decision-making. Technovation, 106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2021.102312
Dringó-Horváth, I., Rajki, Z., & T. Nagy, J. (2025). University Teachers’ Digital Competence and AI Literacy: Moderating Role of Gender, Age, Experience, and Discipline. Education Sciences, 15(7), 868.
Evans, E. W., Bulochova, V., Jayal, A., & Haven-Tang, C. (2023). Attitudes towards using artificial intelligence to determine real-time hand hygiene compliance in the food sector. Food Control, 145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109439
Ghotbi, N., Ho, M. T., & Mantello, P. (2021). Attitude of college students towards ethical issues of artificial intelligence in an international university in Japan. Ai & Society, 37(1), 283-290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-021-01168-2
Hamedani, Z., Moradi, M., Kalroozi, F., Manafi Anari, A., Jalalifar, E., Ansari, A., Aski, B. H., Nezamzadeh, M., & Karim, B. (2023). Evaluation of acceptance, attitude, and knowledge towards artificial intelligence and its application from the point of view of physicians and nurses: A provincial survey study in Iran: A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. Health Sci Rep, 6(9), e1543. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1543
Ho, S., Doig, G. S., & Ly, A. (2022). Attitudes of optometrists towards artificial intelligence for the diagnosis of retinal disease: A cross-sectional mail-out survey. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt, 42(6), 1170-1179. https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.13034
Kasinidou, M., Kleanthoys, S., & Otterbacher, J. (2025). Cypriot teachers’ digital skills and attitudes towards AI. Discover Education, 4(1), 1.
Kuleto, V., Ilić, M. P., Bucea-Manea-Țoniş, R., Ciocodeică, D.-F., Mihălcescu, H., & Mindrescu, V. (2022). The Attitudes of K–12 Schools’ Teachers in Serbia towards the Potential of Artificial Intelligence. Sustainability, 14(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148636
Leyva-López, J. C., Solano-Noriega, J. J., Gastélum-Chavira, D. A., & Gaxiola-Valenzuela, T. (2022). A Personnel Selection Model for a Software Development Company based on the ELECTRE III Method and a Variant of NSGA-II [Article]. Innovar, 32(85). https://doi.org/10.15446/innovar.v32n85.100657
Malik, A., Budhwar, P., Patel, C., & Srikanth, N. (2023). May the bots be with you! Delivering HR cost-effectiveness and individualised employee experiences in an MNE. In Artificial Intelligence and International HRM (pp. 83-113). Routledge.
Martin, B. A. S., Jin, H. S., Wang, D., Nguyen, H., Zhan, K., & Wang, Y. X. (2020). The influence of consumer anthropomorphism on attitudes towards artificial intelligence trip advisors. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 44, 108-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.06.004
McGenity, C., Randell, R., Bellamy, C., Burt, A., Cratchley, A., Goldin, R., Hubscher, S. G., Neil, D. A. H., Quaglia, A., Tiniakos, D., Wyatt, J., & Treanor, D. (2023). Survey of liver pathologists to assess attitudes towards digital pathology and artificial intelligence. J Clin Pathol, 77(1), 27-33. https://doi.org/10.1136/jcp-2022-208614
Micocci, M., Borsci, S., Thakerar, V., Walne, S., Manshadi, Y., Edridge, F., Mullarkey, D., Buckle, P., & Hanna, G. B. (2021). Attitudes towards Trusting Artificial Intelligence Insights and Factors to Prevent the Passive Adherence of GPs: A Pilot Study. J Clin Med, 10(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10143101
Montag, C., Ali, R., & Davis, K. L. (2024). Affective neuroscience theory and attitudes towards artificial intelligence. Ai & Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-023-01841-8
Morales-García WC, S.-S. L., Flores-Paredes A, Morales-García M, Gutierrez-Caballero FN. . (2025). Influence of Attitude toward Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Job Performance with AI in Nurses. Data and Metadata. , 4. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.56294/
dm2025221
Mousavi Baigi, S. F., Sarbaz, M., Ghaddaripouri, K., Ghaddaripouri, M., Mousavi, A. S., & Kimiafar, K. (2023). Attitudes, knowledge, and skills towards artificial intelligence among healthcare students: A systematic review. Health Sci Rep, 6(3), e1138. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1138
Nadarzynski, T., Lunt, A., Knights, N., Bayley, J., & Llewellyn, C. (2023). "But can chatbots understand sex?" Attitudes towards artificial intelligence chatbots amongst sexual and reproductive health professionals: An exploratory mixed-methods study. Int J STD AIDS, 34(11), 809-816. https://doi.org/10.1177/09564624231180777
Nichol, B. A., Hurlbert, A. C., & Read, J. C. (2022). Predicting attitudes towards screening for neurodegenerative diseases using OCT and artificial intelligence: Findings from a literature review. J Public Health Res, 11(4), 22799036221127627. https://doi.org/10.1177/22799036221127627
Novozhilova, E., Mays, K., & Katz, J. E. (2024). Looking towards an automated future: U.S. attitudes towards future artificial intelligence instantiations and their effect. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02625-1
Pena-Acuna, B., & Crisman-Perez, R. (2022). Research on Papua, a digital tool with artificial intelligence in favor of learning and linguistic attitudes towards the learning of the English language in students of Spanish language as L1. Front Psychol, 13, 1019278. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1019278
Perrier, E., Rifai, M., Terzic, A., Dubois, C., & Cohen, J. F. (2022). Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards artificial intelligence among young pediatricians: A nationwide survey in France. Front Pediatr, 10, 1065957. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2022.1065957
Pinto Dos Santos, D., Giese, D., Brodehl, S., Chon, S. H., Staab, W., Kleinert, R., Maintz, D., & Baessler, B. (2019). Medical students' attitude towards artificial intelligence: a multicentre survey. Eur Radiol, 29(4), 1640-1646. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-018-5601-1
Romero-Brufau, S., Wyatt, K. D., Boyum, P., Mickelson, M., Moore, M., & Cognetta-Rieke, C. (2020). What's in a name? A comparison of attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) versus augmented human intelligence (AHI). BMC Med Inform Decis Mak, 20(1), 167. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-020-01158-2
Sindermann, C., Sha, P., Zhou, M., Wernicke, J., Schmitt, H. S., Li, M., Sariyska, R., Stavrou, M., Becker, B., & Montag, C. (2020). Assessing the Attitude Towards Artificial Intelligence: Introduction of a Short Measure in German, Chinese, and English Language. KI - Künstliche Intelligenz, 35(1), 109-118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13218-020-00689-0
Singh, N., Pandey, A., Tikku, A. P., Verma, P., & Singh, B. P. (2023). Attitude, perception and barriers of dental professionals towards artificial intelligence. J Oral Biol Craniofac Res, 13(5), 584-588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobcr.2023.06.006
Sit, C., Srinivasan, R., Amlani, A., Muthuswamy, K., Azam, A., Monzon, L., & Poon, D. S. (2020). Attitudes and perceptions of UK medical students towards artificial intelligence and radiology: a multicentre survey. Insights Imaging, 11(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-019-0830-7
Sposato, M. (2025). Artificial intelligence in educational leadership: a comprehensive taxonomy and future directions. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 22(1), 20.
Thompson, C. L., Kuah, A. T. H., Foong, R., & Ng, E. S. (2020). The development of emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and locus of control in Master of Business Administration students [Article]. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 31(1), 113-131. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21375
Wu, F., Dang, Y., & Li, M. (2025). A Systematic Review of Responses, Attitudes, and Utilization Behaviors on Generative AI for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Behavioral Sciences, 15(4), 467.
Yuzbasioglu, E. (2021). Attitudes and perceptions of dental students towards artificial intelligence. J Dent Educ, 85(1), 60-68. https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.12385
Al Saad, M. M., Shehadeh, A., Alanazi, S., Alenezi, M., Abu alez, A., Eid, H., Alfaouri, M. S., Aldawsari, S., & Alenezi, R. (2022). Medical Students’ Knowledge and Attitude Towards Artificial Intelligence: An Online Survey. The Open Public Health Journal, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.2174/18749445-v15-e2203290
Alghamdi, A. M. (2024). Academic Leaders' Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence Applications in Leadership Work in Light of the Diffusion of Innovation Theory: The Impact of Possession of Digital Literacy. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 8(1), n1.
Allam, A. H., Eltewacy, N. K., Alabdallat, Y. J., Owais, T. A., Salman, S., Ebada, M. A., & Group, E. (2023). Knowledge, attitude, and perception of Arab medical students towards artificial intelligence in medicine and radiology: A multi-national cross-sectional study. Eur Radiol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-023-10509-2
Bhandari, A., Purchuri, S. N., Sharma, C., Ibrahim, M., & Prior, M. (2021). Knowledge and attitudes towards artificial intelligence in imaging: a look at the quantitative survey literature. Clin Imaging, 80, 413-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.08.004
Cao, G., Duan, Y., Edwards, J. S., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2021). Understanding managers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions towards using artificial intelligence for organizational decision-making. Technovation, 106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2021.102312
Dringó-Horváth, I., Rajki, Z., & T. Nagy, J. (2025). University Teachers’ Digital Competence and AI Literacy: Moderating Role of Gender, Age, Experience, and Discipline. Education Sciences, 15(7), 868.
Evans, E. W., Bulochova, V., Jayal, A., & Haven-Tang, C. (2023). Attitudes towards using artificial intelligence to determine real-time hand hygiene compliance in the food sector. Food Control, 145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109439
Ghotbi, N., Ho, M. T., & Mantello, P. (2021). Attitude of college students towards ethical issues of artificial intelligence in an international university in Japan. Ai & Society, 37(1), 283-290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-021-01168-2
Hamedani, Z., Moradi, M., Kalroozi, F., Manafi Anari, A., Jalalifar, E., Ansari, A., Aski, B. H., Nezamzadeh, M., & Karim, B. (2023). Evaluation of acceptance, attitude, and knowledge towards artificial intelligence and its application from the point of view of physicians and nurses: A provincial survey study in Iran: A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. Health Sci Rep, 6(9), e1543. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1543
Ho, S., Doig, G. S., & Ly, A. (2022). Attitudes of optometrists towards artificial intelligence for the diagnosis of retinal disease: A cross-sectional mail-out survey. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt, 42(6), 1170-1179. https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.13034
Kasinidou, M., Kleanthoys, S., & Otterbacher, J. (2025). Cypriot teachers’ digital skills and attitudes towards AI. Discover Education, 4(1), 1.
Kuleto, V., Ilić, M. P., Bucea-Manea-Țoniş, R., Ciocodeică, D.-F., Mihălcescu, H., & Mindrescu, V. (2022). The Attitudes of K–12 Schools’ Teachers in Serbia towards the Potential of Artificial Intelligence. Sustainability, 14(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148636
Leyva-López, J. C., Solano-Noriega, J. J., Gastélum-Chavira, D. A., & Gaxiola-Valenzuela, T. (2022). A Personnel Selection Model for a Software Development Company based on the ELECTRE III Method and a Variant of NSGA-II [Article]. Innovar, 32(85). https://doi.org/10.15446/innovar.v32n85.100657
Malik, A., Budhwar, P., Patel, C., & Srikanth, N. (2023). May the bots be with you! Delivering HR cost-effectiveness and individualised employee experiences in an MNE. In Artificial Intelligence and International HRM (pp. 83-113). Routledge.
Martin, B. A. S., Jin, H. S., Wang, D., Nguyen, H., Zhan, K., & Wang, Y. X. (2020). The influence of consumer anthropomorphism on attitudes towards artificial intelligence trip advisors. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 44, 108-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.06.004
McGenity, C., Randell, R., Bellamy, C., Burt, A., Cratchley, A., Goldin, R., Hubscher, S. G., Neil, D. A. H., Quaglia, A., Tiniakos, D., Wyatt, J., & Treanor, D. (2023). Survey of liver pathologists to assess attitudes towards digital pathology and artificial intelligence. J Clin Pathol, 77(1), 27-33. https://doi.org/10.1136/jcp-2022-208614
Micocci, M., Borsci, S., Thakerar, V., Walne, S., Manshadi, Y., Edridge, F., Mullarkey, D., Buckle, P., & Hanna, G. B. (2021). Attitudes towards Trusting Artificial Intelligence Insights and Factors to Prevent the Passive Adherence of GPs: A Pilot Study. J Clin Med, 10(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10143101
Montag, C., Ali, R., & Davis, K. L. (2024). Affective neuroscience theory and attitudes towards artificial intelligence. Ai & Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-023-01841-8
Morales-García WC, S.-S. L., Flores-Paredes A, Morales-García M, Gutierrez-Caballero FN. . (2025). Influence of Attitude toward Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Job Performance with AI in Nurses. Data and Metadata. , 4. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.56294/
dm2025221
Mousavi Baigi, S. F., Sarbaz, M., Ghaddaripouri, K., Ghaddaripouri, M., Mousavi, A. S., & Kimiafar, K. (2023). Attitudes, knowledge, and skills towards artificial intelligence among healthcare students: A systematic review. Health Sci Rep, 6(3), e1138. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1138
Nadarzynski, T., Lunt, A., Knights, N., Bayley, J., & Llewellyn, C. (2023). "But can chatbots understand sex?" Attitudes towards artificial intelligence chatbots amongst sexual and reproductive health professionals: An exploratory mixed-methods study. Int J STD AIDS, 34(11), 809-816. https://doi.org/10.1177/09564624231180777
Nichol, B. A., Hurlbert, A. C., & Read, J. C. (2022). Predicting attitudes towards screening for neurodegenerative diseases using OCT and artificial intelligence: Findings from a literature review. J Public Health Res, 11(4), 22799036221127627. https://doi.org/10.1177/22799036221127627
Novozhilova, E., Mays, K., & Katz, J. E. (2024). Looking towards an automated future: U.S. attitudes towards future artificial intelligence instantiations and their effect. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02625-1
Pena-Acuna, B., & Crisman-Perez, R. (2022). Research on Papua, a digital tool with artificial intelligence in favor of learning and linguistic attitudes towards the learning of the English language in students of Spanish language as L1. Front Psychol, 13, 1019278. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1019278
Perrier, E., Rifai, M., Terzic, A., Dubois, C., & Cohen, J. F. (2022). Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards artificial intelligence among young pediatricians: A nationwide survey in France. Front Pediatr, 10, 1065957. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2022.1065957
Pinto Dos Santos, D., Giese, D., Brodehl, S., Chon, S. H., Staab, W., Kleinert, R., Maintz, D., & Baessler, B. (2019). Medical students' attitude towards artificial intelligence: a multicentre survey. Eur Radiol, 29(4), 1640-1646. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-018-5601-1
Romero-Brufau, S., Wyatt, K. D., Boyum, P., Mickelson, M., Moore, M., & Cognetta-Rieke, C. (2020). What's in a name? A comparison of attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) versus augmented human intelligence (AHI). BMC Med Inform Decis Mak, 20(1), 167. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-020-01158-2
Sindermann, C., Sha, P., Zhou, M., Wernicke, J., Schmitt, H. S., Li, M., Sariyska, R., Stavrou, M., Becker, B., & Montag, C. (2020). Assessing the Attitude Towards Artificial Intelligence: Introduction of a Short Measure in German, Chinese, and English Language. KI - Künstliche Intelligenz, 35(1), 109-118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13218-020-00689-0
Singh, N., Pandey, A., Tikku, A. P., Verma, P., & Singh, B. P. (2023). Attitude, perception and barriers of dental professionals towards artificial intelligence. J Oral Biol Craniofac Res, 13(5), 584-588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobcr.2023.06.006
Sit, C., Srinivasan, R., Amlani, A., Muthuswamy, K., Azam, A., Monzon, L., & Poon, D. S. (2020). Attitudes and perceptions of UK medical students towards artificial intelligence and radiology: a multicentre survey. Insights Imaging, 11(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-019-0830-7
Sposato, M. (2025). Artificial intelligence in educational leadership: a comprehensive taxonomy and future directions. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 22(1), 20.
Thompson, C. L., Kuah, A. T. H., Foong, R., & Ng, E. S. (2020). The development of emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and locus of control in Master of Business Administration students [Article]. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 31(1), 113-131. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21375
Wu, F., Dang, Y., & Li, M. (2025). A Systematic Review of Responses, Attitudes, and Utilization Behaviors on Generative AI for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Behavioral Sciences, 15(4), 467.
Yuzbasioglu, E. (2021). Attitudes and perceptions of dental students towards artificial intelligence. J Dent Educ, 85(1), 60-68. https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.12385