This study examines the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) support on student outcomes in higher education project work, focusing on the quality of analytical “what if” scenarios and students’ satisfaction with their presentations. The study addresses two objectives: to determine how AI support affects students’ ability to produce high-quality analytical scenarios compared to independent work, and to examine students’ satisfaction with their presentation outcomes. A total of 53 university students participated and were divided into an Experimental Group (n = 26), which used AI tools, and a Control Group (n = 27), which completed the task independently. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten selected students, systematic classroom and presentation observations, student-produced scenario documents, and AI interaction records. Data were analysed using thematic and narrative analysis. The most significant result indicates that the majority of students in the AI-supported group demonstrated multi-level causal reasoning, coherent structural organisation, and thematically complex outcomes, whereas most students in the control group produced linear analyses with conventional or humorous narrative resolutions. In addition, all interviewed students in the AI-supported group reported higher confidence during presentations, compared to mixed confidence levels in the control group. These findings suggest that ethical AI use can substantially enhance analytical depth and presentation confidence, providing a strong empirical foundation for future large-scale research on AI integration in higher education.
Aini, N., & Basthomi, Y. (2025). Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in learning English writing in higher education. Journal of Learning for Development, 12(2), 364–371. https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v12i2.1596
Amani, N., & Bisriyah, M. (2025). University students’ perceptions of AI-assisted writing tools in supporting self-regulated writing practices. Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 10(1), 91–107. https://doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v10i1.1822
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
Chan, C. K. Y., & Wang, Q. (2024). A guide for engineering educators on ChatGPT: Implications and challenges. Engineering Education, 49(1), 1–18.
Hul, T., Matviichuk, N., & Hodzhal, S. (2025). Integration of AI into learning and education: A comparative analysis of European and Ukrainian experiences. Journal of Learning for Development, 12(3), 599–614.
Hwang, G. J., Chang, Y. Y., & Chen, H. Y. (2023). A review of artificial intelligence in education: Trends, issues, and future directions. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(3), 1629–1650. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.1877063
Moon, H., Chung, Y., & Randolph, A. W. (2025). Teaching and learning languages with ChatGPT: Challenges and opportunities in multilingual classrooms in higher education. Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 10(1), 207–223.
Nhan, L. K. (2025). Artificial intelligence in enhancing personalised learning. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education (TOJDE), 26(4), Article 4.
OpenAI. (2023). GPT-4 technical report. https://openai.com/research/gpt-4
Ozfidan, B., El-Dakhs, D. A. S., & Alsalim, L. A. (2024). The use of AI tools in English academic writing by Saudi undergraduates. Contemporary Educational Technology, 16(4), ep527. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/15013
Parasuraman, R., & Manzey, D. (2010). Complacency and bias in human use of automation: An attention-based view. Human Factors, 52(3), 381–410. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720810376055
Songsiengchai, S. (2025). Implementation of artificial intelligence (AI): ChatGPT for effective English language learning among Thai students in higher education. International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies, 13(1), 166–174. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.13n.1p.166
Sumakul, D. T. Y., Hamied, F. A., & Sukyadi, D. (2022). Artificial intelligence in EFL classrooms: Friend or foe? LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(1), 232–256.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4
Taskiran, A., & Goksel, N. (2022). Automated feedback and teacher feedback: Writing achievement in learning English as a foreign language at a distance. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 23(2), 120–140.
Trevino, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2017). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (7th ed.). Wiley.
Ridwan, A. A. P. Bin, Kusnanto, N. A. M. B., & Tahir, M. H. B. M. (2026). The Influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Support on the Quality of “What If” Analysis Scenarios among University Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 16(2), 118-131.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
