Auspiciousness or Dysfunctionality? An Analysis of the Prospects and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence Tools (AI) in Communication Education Research in Nigeria

The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in communication and media research and its implication
of these developments on Communication Education has precipitated a paradigm shift that continually
engender opportunities and challenges for researchers, educators, professionals and students in the
discipline in Nigeria. Existing literature has highlighted the limitations of research on AI adoption in
Communication Education particularly in tertiary institutions. The main issues identified include limited
infrastructure and accessibility, non-functional curricula on AI in research, ethical considerations, and
inadequate capacity building in AI adoption in Communication Education research in Nigeria. This
paper examines the influence of AI on Communication and Media Education research in key areas: topic
development, problem articulation, literature review, data generation, and data analysis. AI-powered
tools such as (Mendeley, EndNote, SciSummary, ResearchRabbit and SurveyMonkey) are recalibrating
research methodologies, pedagogies, and practices, facilitating more functional and precise analysis, at
the same time raising concerns associated with originality of ideas, ethical bias, and personal
interpretability competence. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze literature on AI in
Communication Education research. Data was collected from online academic journals using keyword
such as “AI in communication research, AI in Communication Education and AI powered
Communication Research. Data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis adopting an Inferential Analysis
Approach”. Purposive sampling was used to select relevant literature on AI in communication research
education. The findings indicate that AI is transforming communication and media research education by
expanding the traditional research education skills and approaches in topic sourcing and articulation,
literature review and documentation as well as data collection and analysis. This enables more efficient
and accurate analysis leading to more valid significant and findings. The paper concludes that ethical
and responsible adoption of AI in Communication Education research is imperative for efficient
utilization of AI tools in research as well as for the transformations and cultivation of new skills to
prepare both researchers and students for a rapidly evolving communication landscape. Ultimately, this
paper recommends that communication researchers and educators should harness AI's potential while
addressing its limitations to advance the field forward.