Generative AI Changing Ghanaian Universities: New Challenges for Information Experts.

The adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools is rapidly transforming higher education worldwide; however, empirical research on their use in African universities remains limited. This study investigated GenAI adoption among postgraduate students in Ghana to inform ethical academic practices and the role of information professionals. A quantitative descriptive survey was conducted using structured questionnaires administered to 394 postgraduate students at the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Cape Coast. The instrument demonstrated high reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.78 to 0.89, and ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the University of Ghana. Findings revealed a high adoption rate, with 97.3% of respondents having used GenAI. ChatGPT was the most recognized and used platform (95.1% and 84.7%, respectively). Mobile phones were the primary access device (62.9%), reflecting their affordability and accessibility. The main drivers of GenAI use included ease of access (72.8%) and efficiency (72.2%), while unreliability of information was the main deterrent. Awareness of ethical considerations was high (83.7%), with plagiarism, misinformation, academic integrity, and copyright violations being key concerns. Payment restrictions (59.1%) and limited internet access (38.4%) were the primary challenges, and verification of GenAI outputs was inconsistent. The study concludes that GenAI offers significant opportunities for enhancing academic productivity, but its widespread adoption introduces challenges related to ethics, equity, and information reliability. For information professionals, the implications are clear: institutions should integrate AI literacy into information services, develop policies regulating GenAI use, and train students to critically evaluate AI-generated outputs.