Use of artificial intelligence tools by audiologists and speech-language therapists: an international survey of academicians.

Purpose: Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing across the world in every domain, such as finance, manufacturing, entertainment, agriculture, retail, healthcare, and law. Its use in the education sector has exponentially increased. The present global survey explored the utilization of AI among academicians in audiology and speech-language therapy (ASLT) and their willingness to use AI tools in their academic work.

Method: This study used a cross-sectional survey design. One hundred and six ASLT academicians participated in the survey (February 2024 to April 2024). The questionnaire contains 18 items, which included a five-point rating scale, yes-no, and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

Results: Most of the participants were from Asia and North America, followed by Africa. Nearly sixty-eight percent of the academicians used AI tools in their practice. The major concerns reported by the participants were the authenticity of the data, security, the addition of irrelevant information, and incorrect citations. The participants also mentioned that the frequent use of AI tools can reduce a person's ability to devise novel ideas. AI tools such as ChatGPT, Canva, Grammarly AI, Mentimeter, QuillBot, ResearchRabbit, and Scribd were reported by participants.

Conclusions: The present study highlights the use of AI tools among ASLT academicians. However, only a few academicians have prior experience in AI courses. This indicates the pressing need for training concerning the appropriate use of AI in academia and support from universities. Furthermore, AI should be incorporated into academia with appropriate monitoring and ethical considerations.