EXPLORING THE PERCEPTION AND UTILIZATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN TEACHING BIOLOGY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT OF SOKOTO STATE UNIVERSITY.

ABSTRACT Exploring the Perception and Utilization of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching Biology among Undergraduate Students of Sokoto State University. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education has transformed traditional teaching and learning paradigms, offering innovative, interactive, and personalized learning experiences. In biology education, AI-based learning systems can adapt to individual students' needs, providing real-time feedback and simulation-based learning. This study aims to assess the level of awareness, perceptions, and utilization of AI in biology education among undergraduate students of Sokoto State University. A quantitative research design was employed, using a questionnaire to collect data from 45 undergraduate students. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings reveal a significant gender imbalance among respondents, with males constituting 84.4% of the sample. The majority of students (88.9%) are aware of AI applications in biology education, despite limited foundational knowledge of AI concepts. Students' perceptions of AI are mixed, with 60% agreeing that AI saves time in studying biology, while 73.3% express concerns about academic dishonesty. The study also shows high utilization of AI tools, with 86.7% of students using AI for biology-related studies, and a near-even split between Perplexity (48.9%) and ChatGPT (51.1%) as the most used tools.The study concludes that undergraduate students at Sokoto State University demonstrate a high level of utilization of AI tools in biology education, despite varied awareness and nuanced perceptions. The findings highlight the need for continuous AI literacy training, ethical guidelines, and structured pedagogical frameworks to optimize AI-enhanced learning.