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The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially generative AI, has the capacity to fundamentally reshape the higher education sector. University of Technologies (UoTs), institutions expected to lead technological adoption, integrating AI into teaching and learning frameworks, present a significant opportunity to enhance educational quality and student experiences. However, a pervasive apprehension that AI could undermine academic integrity, coupled with practical and ethical challenges, has led to notable stagnation in its widespread and meaningful adoption. This systematic review clarifies the diverse factors contributing to this inertia surrounding AI integration within UoT online learning environments. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, this review synthesised evidence from academic literature, policy documents, and institutional case studies. The analysis identified several major barriers, including deficits in digital literacy among educators and students, inadequate technology infrastructure, a lack of AI-focused pedagogical training, insufficient institutional support, and ambiguous policy frameworks. Furthermore, ethical concerns regarding algorithmic bias and data privacy emerged as critical hurdles. Despite these challenges, the review affirms significant opportunities for AI to deliver personalized learning pathways, enhance administrative efficiency, and foster deeper student engagement. To move from stagnation to strategic implementation, this review recommends the urgent development of clear institutional policies and robust training programs for all stakeholders. Such measures are critical to ethically and effectively harness the power of AI and uphold academic principles in the digital age.
Ngcobo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.