AI Impact on Undergraduates’ Education in Sri Lanka and China; Special Reference to the Visual Communication Studies Subject

Abstract

This research has been conducted to understand the impact of AI apps on undergraduate education in Sri Lanka and China. Although Sri Lanka and China have different levels of technological development, this study aims to investigate the impact of AI apps on undergraduate education in both countries. The research objectives are to indicate the most used AI apps by undergraduates in both countries, identify their impact on the quality of in-class assignments, and identify the impact on creative thinking in the visual communication subject. This is qualitative research. The data was collected through experimental research methods. The research used a purposive sampling strategy. The sample size was 240 from China and Sri Lanka. The research was analysed through content and thematic analysis. The research findings were very interesting. The AI app usage of Chinese undergraduates was significantly higher than that of Sri Lankan undergraduates. Chinese undergraduates use references to guide their thinking through AI technology, while most Sri Lankan undergraduates rely on their human brains and emotions for thinking, even though they use AI apps. The AI usage of Chinese students is more advanced than that of Sri Lankan students. The undergraduates in both countries use different AI apps. Chinese undergraduates use DeepSeek the most, while Sri Lankan undergraduates use Google Gemini the most.  Hence, it's interesting to find out that abstract and creative thinking in Chinese undergraduates is less than that of Sri Lankan undergraduates. Chinese undergraduates often use AI apps; their thinking, creative and emotional approaches in visual communication activities have been reduced. Sri Lankan undergraduates’ usage of AI apps is lower. Hence, their creative and emotional approaches in visual communication activities are higher. The overall work quality of both undergraduates is mostly the same, with Sri Lankan students having more creative and emotional aspects, while Chinese students have direct approaches to solving the problem.a