The Role of Generative AI in Higher Education: Fostering Teamwork and Interaction as a Virtual Teaching Assistance

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged from efforts dedicated to enhancing communication, providing technological support, and creating intelligent machines capable of autonomous actions. Characterized as AI-powered applications, generative AI assistants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT deliver swift, personalized responses. While ChatGPT stands out, numerous applications have surfaced in diverse fields such as art, music, design, and architecture. The widespread adoption of AI technology prompts users to examine its usefulness, particularly as a support system in academia. Indeed, GenAI applications streamline information access for both students and teachers. However, it is crucial to actively investigate the impact of generative AI applications in higher education. The goal is to establish a framework that adequately prepares students and instructors for the swift integration of this evolving technology. Therefore, this chapter focuses on exploring the role of Generative AI in higher education as a tool to enhance teamwork and collaboration in the classroom. We conducted an experiment targeting STEM education courses to quantify the effects of GenAI application usage on a specific set of teaching goals.