More than a chatbot: Human-centered AI for student engagement and academic efficiency

Anthropomorphic artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping digital education by enabling interactive, human-centered learning environments. This systematic review examines peer-reviewed literature from 2015 to 2025 to explore how AI tutors influence student engagement, retention, and faculty workload, while addressing ethical concerns such as bias, data privacy, and over-reliance. Findings reveal AI tutors can improve retention rates by up to 21% and reduce grading time by over 30%, offering personalized, adaptive feedback. However, challenges remain, including algorithmic bias and the risk of students overestimating AI’s instructional role and diminishing their reliance on critical thinking or human mentorship. This study proposes the AI-Pedagogy Integration Model (APIM), a four-stage governance framework to ensure responsible AI deployment. By aligning AI use with transparency, ethical standards, and pedagogical goals, higher education institutions can harness AI’s benefits while safeguarding academic integrity.