Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Formation of Future Communication Professionals- Student Perceptions, Semiotic Mediation and Educational Challenges

Abstract

The growing presence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in universities is transforming how academic knowledge is accessed, interpreted, and processed by students. Students increasingly rely on AI-based systems to retrieve information, summarize large volumes of content, clarify complex concepts and support academic writing. While these tools can improve speed, accessibility and day-to-day study support, they also raise difficult questions about intellectual autonomy, authorship, evaluation and the cultivation of critical reasoning. This paper explores the educational and professional implications of GenAI for future communication specialists. The study combines a qualitative exploratory investigation of student perceptions with a narrative literature review of recent academic work on AI in higher education. The empirical component was conducted with 20 undergraduate students enrolled in communication-related and engineering programs at the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology “George Emil Palade” in Târgu Mureș. Data were collected through semi-structured questions and analyzed through an inductive thematic coding procedure. The findings indicate that students perceive GenAI primarily as a practical learning assistant capable of translating dense academic content into more accessible explanations. At the same time, they express concerns regarding dependency, superficial learning, weakened independent effort and the authenticity of assessment. The paper argues that GenAI should not be treated as a substitute for human cognition, but as a mediated and reflexive instrument that can support intellectual formation when used transparently, critically and ethically. For communication education, this means preparing students not only to operate AI tools effectively, but also to question their outputs, interpret their symbolic effects and integrate them responsibly within professional communication practice.