Author Identifier (ORCID)
Noel Scott: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8770-2563
Abstract
While there is a growing acknowledgement of the importance of AI literacy in educational settings, there is a notable scarcity of specific studies focusing on the AI literacy levels of hospitality and tourism educators in the Asian region. Notably, this study explores the AI literacy levels and integration of AI technologies among hospitality and tourism educators. We interviewed 25 educators from Malaysia and China using a cross-country qualitative study approach to evaluate their mastery of AI tools, their integration of AI into their teaching, and their challenges. The results revealed notable differences in AI literacy between the two groups, with Malaysian educators generally reporting higher proficiency and more frequent use of advanced AI tools. In contrast, Chinese educators had more limited knowledge of AI, often utilising it for content creation or administrative purposes. Key challenges identified include the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content, the high cost of AI tools, insufficient institutional support, concerns about students' over-reliance on AI, and ethical issues related to data privacy and security. The study's findings highlight the need for increased institutional investment in AI infrastructure, professional development programmes, and ethical guidelines for AI use in education. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of AI integration in hospitality and tourism education and expand its scope to encompass a broader range of countries and educational contexts.
Keywords
AI literacy, artificial intelligence, education, hospitality, tourism
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
6-1-2025
Volume
21
Issue
2
Publication Title
Asian Journal of University Education
Publisher
UiTM Press
School
School of Business and Law
Funders
Universiti Teknologi MARA (600-RMC/GPM LPHD 5/3 (086/2022))
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
First Page
577
Last Page
587
Comments
Ngelambong, A., Wong, S. F., Kibat, S., Ahmat, N. H. C., & Scott, N. (2025). AI-powered education: A cross-country exploration of AI literacy among hospitality and tourism educators. Asian Journal of University Education, 21(2), 577-587. https://doi.org/10.24191/ajue.v21i1.39