Generative AI in Education: Assessing Usability, Ethical Implications, and Communication Effectiveness

The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence tools for textual production, such as ChatGPT, has been accompanied by a proliferation of similar tools used for creating images, audiovisual content, and motion graphics. These tools, valued for their creativity, are increasingly employed in the fields of art, education, and entertainment to enhance content creation, particularly on social media, while also reducing production costs. However, their use is not without controversy, as they raise significant ethical concerns, including the potential for generating fake news and disinformation. This paper presents an analysis of higher education students' perspectives on the use of generative artificial intelligence tools within the context of a university course. The research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 10 fourth-year students from the Department of Communication and Digital Media at the University of Western Macedonia. The study aims to provide an initial understanding of the impact of these tools in both education and communication, focusing on students who are future professionals in the communication field. The interviews explored the potential benefits of these technologies, which were valued highly, and the challenges presented such as privacy and credibility issues, which concerned the participants. Misinformation and deception were cited as the most significant risks, while these tools were evaluated positively in terms of communicative purposes, but still maintaining skepticism.