The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 16 September 2025 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Dr Derrick  Sekgala and Ms Zea Leon.

About the Seminar:

Al Tool Usage in University Work and Studies

This report examines artificial intelligence (Al) tool usage patterns, barriers, and training needs among 25 members of the Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR) at the University of Cape Town through an internal survey conducted in June-July 2025.

The study reveals widespread Al adoption, with 96% of respondents currently using Al tools in their academic work, significantly exceeding patterns observed in broader student populations. ChatGPT dominates usage (92%), followed by Grammarly (48%) and Elicit (40%). Most respondents employ multiple tools simultaneously with sophisticated quality assurance strategies: 70.8% cross-check outputs with other sources, 66.7% use iterative prompting, and 37.5% combine outputs from different tools.

Despite high adoption rates, significant barriers persist. Accuracy concerns affect 68% of users, ethical considerations worry 64%, and 56% cite lack of formal training as a major obstacle. Critically, 80% of respondents have received no formal Al training, yet 72% express strong interest in structured capacity building, preferring hands-on workshops (73%) and ethical guidelines (69.6%).

The findings expose a concerning disconnect between widespread usage and self-assessed "moderate" understanding, suggesting adoption driven by practical necessity rather than formalized knowledge. Qualitative insights reveal users envision Al as "a partner in social science research" rather than replacement technology, anticipating gains in efficiency and creativity while maintaining concerns about potential impacts on critical thinking. The report argues that CSSR represents a community highly engaged yet cautiously navigating Al integration. To transition from informal experimentation to responsible implementation, five evidence-based recommendations are proposed: developing ethical guidelines, implementing tiered training programmes, establishing peer learning networks, forming an Al working group, and leveraging institutional resources. These interventions aim to maintain academic integrity while maximizing Al's transformative potential in social science research within South African higher education contexts.

Speakers

Dr. Derrick Sekgala is a public health researcher with a PhD in Public Health and serves as a Junior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Science Research. He has nearly 10 years of experience in quantitative research, with a strong focus on non-communicable diseases, nutrition-related cardiometabolic disorders, and the social determinants of health. His current work explores the intersection of NCDs and HIV within a syndemic framework. Dr. Sekgala is also deeply interested in the integration of generative Al tools into research to advance innovation and knowledge production.

Ms Zea Leon is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR), University of Cape Town. Her work focuses on adolescent HIV treatment outcomes, with a particular emphasis on the clinical and public health implications of low-level viremia and virological failure. She is also interested in applying artificial intelligence to health research, exploring how computational methods can be used to better understand complex biological processes and support data-driven solutions in HIV research and care.

16 September 2025
12:45 - 14:00 SAST
 CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa