AI-Assisted Learning and Moral Disengagement in Mathematics Tasks

The integration of AI tools in mathematics education raises pressing concerns about academic integrity and ethical cognition. This study examined the relationship between AI-assisted tool usage frequency and moral disengagement in mathematics tasks among Filipino tertiary students, with differences analyzed across socioeconomic groups. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational design was employed with 209 BSE–Mathematics students selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected via two validated self-report instruments — the AI-Assisted Tool Usage Frequency Questionnaire and the Moral Disengagement Scale in Mathematics Tasks — alongside a demographic form capturing sex and household monthly income. Pearson correlation, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for analysis. Students reported moderate-to-frequent AI use (M = 2.53), primarily for answer verification and exam preparation. Moral justification was moderately endorsed (M = 2.55), while displacement of responsibility was largely rejected (M = 2.47). Significant positive correlations were found between AI use frequency and both moral justification (r = .629, p < .001) and displacement of responsibility (r = .474, p < .001). No significant differences were observed across sex or household income groups in either AI usage frequency or moral disengagement levels. Higher AI usage frequency is associated with greater cognitive rationalization of ethically ambiguous academic behavior. The absence of socioeconomic and sex-based disparities suggests these ethical risks are uniformly distributed, underscoring the need for institution-wide ethical AI frameworks and reflective pedagogical interventions in mathematics education.