The Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools on the Information Behaviour of Engineering Students

Abstract

This research aims to identify the changes that are arising in students’ information behaviour and skills with the emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence, and to see whether their information skills have benefited or suffered. The main goal is to analyse student behaviour with a view to the possible integration of Artificial Intelligence into the educational resources offered by academic libraries. In order to carry out the research, a qualitative approach based on a case study will be adopted, centred on engineering students. As such, semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the students’ perspective on the subject and also to allow for more productive interaction with the interviewee. The chosen population consisted of twenty students from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto enrolled in the current academic year, ten of whom are attending the third year of the first cycle of studies and the remaining ten students are enrolled in the second cycle of studies. The results reveal widespread use of generative AI tools to support academic tasks, especially in the early stages of the information process, and two distinct user profiles: students who demonstrate a critical and informed attitude, often associated with knowledge of scientific sources of information, and others who use these tools more passively, sometimes without verifying the content. In addition, the results also indicate that students do not see academic libraries as institutions that could be replaced by AI, believing instead in a complementary relationship. Participants suggest greater integration between library services and GenAI tools, namely through the promotion of information literacy, access to scientific resources, and guidance on the ethical use of these technologies. It is therefore concluded that GenAI tools and academic library resources contribute to the information literacy of engineering students, provided that they complement each other and that there is responsible guidance to promote critical thinking and ethical principles.