Artificial Intelligence and Youth Development: Assessing Negative Impacts in Cameroon

This research evaluates the negative impacts of Artificial Intelligence dependency on the cognitive and academic development of students within the Cameroonian higher education landscape. Utilizing a multiple case study design to facilitate literal replication across diverse settings, this study analyzed data collected from students at the University of Yaoundé, the University of Bamenda, and Yaoundé International Business School. A total of 525 students were surveyed using a purposive sampling strategy to account for the unique dynamics of public university massification and private sector specialization in Cameroon. The findings indicate a high prevalence of AI utilization, with 85.3% of respondents reporting daily or weekly usage for academic tasks.