ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22742379Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming higher education, creating new opportunities
to enhance educational quality, institutional efficiency, research capacity, student support, and graduate
employability. However, the extent to which AI can generate sustainable competitive advantage remains
insufficiently understood. The study examines AI as a strategic organizational capability and explores how
its integration with human capital, institutional processes, educational quality, labour-market alignment, and
responsible governance can contribute to the long-term competitiveness of higher education institutions.
Drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV), the study employs a qualitative, evidence-based research
design based on systematic secondary-data analysis and theoretical synthesis of evidence from UNESCO,
the World Economic Forum, and the OECD. The findings indicate that AI adoption alone does not constitute
a sustainable competitive advantage; rather, strategic value emerges when AI is effectively integrated with
distinctive human and organizational capabilities. The evidence also indicates the increasing institutionalization
of AI governance and growing labour-market demand for AI-related competencies.
At the same time, data privacy, equality of access, academic integrity, ethical considerations, and institutional
readiness remain important areas requiring systematic attention. The study concludes that sustainable
competitive advantage depends on the development of responsible, strategically aligned, and human-centred
AI capabilities.
Keywords
artificial intelligence, higher education, competitive advantage, Resource-Based View, AI capability, generative AI, digital transformation, human capital, institutional capability, educational quality, graduate employability, labour-market alignment, AI governance, responsible AI, digital inequality.References
1. Wernerfelt B. A Resource-Based View of the Firm // Strategic Management Journal. – 1984. – Vol. 5, No.
2. – P. 171–180. – DOI: 10.1002/smj.4250050207.
2. Barney J. Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage // Journal of Management. – 1991. – Vol.
17, No. 1. – P. 99–120. – DOI: 10.1177/014920639101700108.
3. Zawacki-Richter O., Marín V. I., Bond M., Gouverneur F. Systematic Review of Research on Artificial
Intelligence Applications in Higher Education—Where Are the Educators? // International Journal of
Educational Technology in Higher Education. – 2019. – Vol. 16, No. 39. – DOI: 10.1186/s41239-019-0171-
0.
4. Wang S., Wang F., Zhu Z., Wang J., Tran T., Du Z. Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Systematic
Literature Review // Expert Systems with Applications. – 2024. – Vol. 252. – Art. No. 124167. – DOI:
10.1016/j.eswa.2024.124167.
5. Crompton H., Burke D. Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: The State of the Field // International
Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education. – 2023. – Vol. 20, No. 22. – DOI: 10.1186/s41239-
023-00392-8.
6. Tlili A., Shehata B., Adarkwah M. A., Bozkurt A., Hickey D. T., Huang R., Agyemang B. What If the Devil
Is My Guardian Angel: ChatGPT as a Case Study of Using Chatbots in Education // Smart Learning
Environments. – 2023. – Vol. 10, No. 15. – DOI: 10.1186/s40561-023-00237-x.
7. Kasneci E. et al. ChatGPT for Good? On Opportunities and Challenges of Large Language Models for
Education // Learning and Individual Differences. – 2023. – Vol. 103. – Art. No. 102274. – DOI: 10.1016/j.
lindif.2023.102274.
8. Krakowski S., Luger J., Raisch S. Artificial Intelligence and the Changing Sources of Competitive Advantage
// Strategic Management Journal. – 2023. – DOI: 10.1002/smj.3387.
9. Miao F., Holmes W. Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research. – Paris : UNESCO, 2023.
10. Miao F., Cukurova M. AI Competency Framework for Teachers. – Paris : UNESCO, 2024.
11. Miao F., Shiohira K., Lao N. AI Competency Framework for Students. – Paris : UNESCO, 2024.
12. UNESCO. UNESCO Survey: Two-Thirds of Higher Education Institutions Have or Are Developing
Guidance on AI Use [Elektron resurs]. – 2025. – 2 September.
13. OECD. OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026: Exploring Effective Uses of Generative AI in Education. –
Paris : OECD Publishing, 2026. – DOI: 10.1787/062a7394-en.
14. World Economic Forum. The Future of Jobs Report 2025. – Geneva : World Economic Forum, 2025.
15. Abduxamidova M. Ta’lim boshqaruvida sun’iy intellekt: imkoniyatlar, cheklovlar va kelajak yo‘nalishlari //
Advances in Science and Education. – 2025. – Vol. 1, No. 11. – P. 163–172. – DOI: 10.70728/edu.v01.
i11.043.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 GREEN ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
