PERCEPTIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SPIRITUAL AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT

The aim of this exploratory quantitative study was to examine young people’s perceptions of the role of artificial intelligence in spiritual and moral development. The research included 121 students from the Technical Faculty “Mihajlo Pupin” in Zrenjanin and The Serbian Orthodox Church Academy for Arts and Conservation in Belgrade, thus the study relied on a convenience sample. The study analyzed how students assess the role of AI in their spiritual and moral development. Data were collected through an online Likert-type questionnaire encompassing eight domains: AI use and perception, digital literacy, emotional attitudes toward AI, spirituality, values, empathic concern, and moral attitudes. The instrument demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s α = .950). Descriptive, correlational, and regression methods and techniques, as well as exploratory factor analysis, were used in the analysis. The results indicate that respondents perceive AI as only slightly to moderately stimulating for their spiritual and moral development. It may be concluded that AI plays a limited and secondary role in the spiritual and moral development of young people, while this process is more strongly shaped by religious practice, family influence, and traditional sources of spirituality. Limitations relate to the sample size and structure, as well as the use of self-report measures, while future research may include broader samples and combined methodological approaches.