The world of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: a systematic review about the ethical challenges. A foundation for action

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming part of our daily lives. The educational field is not immune to this change, coming to terms with new tools and technologies more and more introduced into learning and teaching processes. Higher Education (HE) is currently facing interesting and controversial challenges. Potential for AI applications is noted, but deep concerns related to the ethical dimension are also raised. Given the necessary urgency of responding appropriately to a revolution already underway, a systematic review is conducted starting from the question "What ethical concerns emerge from recent research related to the use of AI in Higher Education?". Materials are analyzed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) drawing from Scopus, ERIC and Web of Science databases. Preliminary findings reveal that internal problems of AI influence and threaten academic integrity in its different domains: plagiarism, authorship, cheating, development of holistic competences, originality, creativity, critical thinking, equity and privacy. A demand for more care and awareness in the research in this field emerge. Manifolds are the possible solutions that can address the various ethical challenges: the proposal for AI literacy programs, AI best practices guidelines and regulatory policies using technology in HE are emphasized. The study provides an overview of ethical issues discussed up to date in the world of practice and research. It becomes an opportunity to open spaces for reflection that can be a significant starting point for evaluating the implementation of AI, to design and take wise and innovative actions within education.