Examination of the opinions of academics working in adult education on the use of artificial intelligence in adult education

Adult education has become indispensable for the development of individuals and the future of nations. Adult education aims to increase social employment, create competitive opportunities, integrate into society, and foster individual self-actualization. The dizzying pace of technological advancement is increasing the need for adult education daily. This rapid technological change is being used to increase student participation and success by enabling digital transformation in education, to support educators, and to create access to global education. Artificial intelligence is a key driver of this transformation, leading groundbreaking changes in education. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly influential in every aspect of life, it requires the integration of individuals beyond experts, even at a basic level. Artificial intelligence makes significant contributions to education through its capabilities such as generating solutions to complex problems, learning, making rational inferences, solving complex problems, and adapting to different conditions, languages, and experiences. The use of artificial intelligence in adult education provides flexible learning environments for individuals with diverse knowledge, experiences, and interests, enables instant feedback, and supports global learning and interaction, enabling adults to participate more actively in the lifelong learning process. The use of artificial intelligence makes education more inclusive, flexible, and accessible. Despite these positive contributions, the ethical issues it may raise are also a matter of debate. This research aims to explain concepts related to lifelong learning and artificial intelligence, discuss the views of academics working in the field of adult education on the contributions of artificial intelligence to adult education and the potential disadvantages it may create, and offer a perspective on the subject by providing examples of artificial intelligence applications that can be used in adult education. Phenomenology, a qualitative research design, was used in the research. Data were collected through a demographic information form and semi-structured interview questions prepared by the researcher. The study group consisted of seven academics working in the field of adult education. Research findings indicate that academics working in the field of adult education consider artificial intelligence technologies in graduate education a versatile tool that presents both significant opportunities and risks that must be carefully managed. The data reveal that these technologies offer various advantages, such as accelerating access to information, personalizing learning processes, using time more efficiently, and supporting teaching activities. However, it has also been observed that the use of artificial intelligence can lead to certain negative consequences, such as weakening critical thinking skills, diminishing learning responsibility, uncertainties regarding information reliability, and issues related to academic ethics. Keywords: Artificial intelligence, education, lifelong learning.