Students' Perceptions on AI Utilization and Regulation: Basis for Developing Guidelines for Responsible Use in Higher Education

In the contemporary era, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become increasingly integrated into education, influencing how students learn, engage, and accomplish academic tasks. This study examined students’ perceptions of AI along two distinct dimensions: utilization and regulation to serve as an evidence-based basis for developing institutional guidelines. Specifically, it addressed four areas of utilization: AI literacy, academic writing support, personalized learning, and student engagement; and two areas of regulation: awareness of AI policies, rules and regulations, and academic integrity and ethical concerns. A descriptive research design was employed, using a survey questionnaire administered to 229 students from the Teacher Education Program at the Polytechnic College of the City of Meycauayan. Data were collected through online and printed forms and analyzed using descriptive statistics, specifically weighted mean, to determine general trends in students’ responses. On utilization, students generally perceived AI as a useful educational tool that enhances learning efficiency, supports academic writing tasks, and enables personalized, self-paced learning. They demonstrated moderate to high AI literacy, with strong awareness of potential misuse and privacy risks, though some reported difficulty learning new AI tools. Usage varied across platforms: Canva, ChatGPT, and Grammarly were the most familiar and widely used, while other tools had limited adoption. On regulation, students expressed strong support for institutional policies, rules, and accountability frameworks. They showed high awareness of ethical standards, data privacy, fairness, and responsible use. yet were less supportive of mandatory disclosure of AI assistance in academic work. Concerns about over-reliance, the absence of clear existing rules, and the urgent need for formal guidance were clearly evident. The study concludes that while AI offers significant educational benefits, comprehensive institutional guidelines on AI utilization and regulation are urgently needed to ensure responsible, ethical, and equitable use. Recommendations include integrating AI literacy training, establishing level-based usage policies, requiring transparency in AI assistance, and upholding academic integrity through clear ethical standards. These findings provide a data-driven foundation for balanced institutional policies that support innovation while maintaining academic integrity and fairness.