Artificial Intelligence in Academic Writing and Research Skills in Kenyan Universities: Opportunities and Challenges

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This article aims to examine the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic writing and research skills. It suggests recommendations that universities can use to develop to enhance the proper use of AI. As many institutions continue to embrace and use AI tools worldwide, questions surrounding its utilisation in the education sector continue to emerge. Following the continued adoption of AI in academia, several studies have been conducted to examine its impact. Some studies reveal that AI can be instrumental in scientific and academic research while inspiring new research topics and areas. However, universities in Kenya face challenges in tapping into AI opportunities and addressing the challenges associated with AI adoption, such as plagiarism and misinformation. Therefore, the main objective of this article was to analyse the gaps in AI in academic writing and research skills in Kenyan universities. It has two aims: firstly, it analyses the opportunities associated with AI tools in academic writing and research skills, and secondly, it examines the challenges Kenyan universities face in using AI tools. A semisystematic literature review from EBSCO and Google Scholar databases for peer-reviewed articles, policies, internet websites, government documents, parliamentary bills, online digital news, and institutional documents published since 2017 was conducted. Four key steps were used in literature identification: search, inclusion and exclusion criteria, development of themes, and analysis. Our findings suggest that adopting AI in academic writing and research skills is integral for quality research and academic integrity in universities. We recommend the formulation of AI policy frameworks that will regulate and support academic research integrity in universities. The findings will add to the available literature pool of knowledge on how Kenyan and other African universities are preparing to integrate AI into academia and will identify areas that need more attention from scholars to enhance the teaching and learning experience.