UTILIZATION AND CHALLENGES OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN SELECTED HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (HEIs) IN THAILAND: BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSED AI POLICY FRAMEWORK

This quantitative study investigates the utilization and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in selected Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in Northeastern Thailand, aiming to inform the development of an institutional AI policy framework. The demographic profile revealed a workforce predominantly composed of young to middle-aged professionals, with a majority holding postgraduate degrees. AI utilization remained moderate across four core academic domains: research (M=2.45), extension (M=2.41), instruction (M=2.38), and production (M=2.24). Key challenges received an overall "very serious" rating (M=2.53). Gender and marital status showed significant positive correlations with AI utilization, while permanent employment and higher education levels correlated negatively in certain domains. Seminar frequency was a strong predictor of higher AI use. Findings underscore the need for targeted faculty development, resource support, and robust institutional policies.