ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A PREDICTOR OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF SSS II CHEMISTRY STUDENTS IN OYO WEST AND EAST LGA OF OYO STATE

Abstract

This study examined the role of artificial intelligence as predictor of skill development and economic empowerment in Oyo West and East LGA of Oyo State. One of the research questions in the study is what is the composite contribution of artificial intelligence, skill development and economic empowerment on SSS II chemistry students? Descriptive survey was used as the research design of this study. All secondary school chemistry students in Oyo West and East were used with a sample of 100 chemistry students selected from each local government using a random sampling technique of which it gives a total of 200 students. The instrument for the study was a survey questionnaire tagged “AI, Skill Development and Economic Empowerment Questionnaire” (AISDEEQ). The instrument’s reliability was 0.76 using Person Product Moment Correlation. There is a moderate-to-strong positive contribution of AI use to skill development (r= 0.526, n = 200, p < 0.05) and there is a weak-to-moderate positive contribution of AI use to economic empowerment (r= 0.346, n = 200, p < 0.05). It was concluded that AI is a transformative force in education. When strategically implemented, it can bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application thereby fostering both skill development and economic empowerment among students. It was recommended teachers should prioritize AI tools that directly align with curriculum goals (e.g., virtual labs, data analysis software) to enhance skill development in students.