Deceptive Intelligence: An Experimental Study on the Impact of Data-Manipulated Artificial Intelligence Systems on University Students in Egyptology and Tourist Guidance

This study investigates the cognitive and educational effects of interacting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems trained on manipulated data within the fields of Egyptology and Tourist Guidance. It aims to determine how misleading AI-generated information impacts students’ ability to evaluate credibility, verify accuracy, and maintain critical awareness.

A controlled experimental case study was implemented at Ain Shams University, engaging 90 undergraduate students from the Tourist Guidance Department. The research compared learning outcomes when students interacted with accurate versus intentionally misleading AI-generated content.

A custom-designed website integrated an AI chatbot and dual databases: one containing verified information and another deliberately filled with professionally written inaccuracies about Egyptian heritage. Students completed structured research assignments and surveys measuring trust, verification behavior, and accuracy.

The within-subject experimental design allowed each participant to act as their own control, ensuring direct comparison between performance under truthful and deceptive conditions. Quantitative and qualitative analyses assessed cognitive patterns and behavioral responses.

Results revealed a clear inverse relationship between trust and accuracy: as AI credibility perception increased, factual accuracy declined. Students with stronger digital literacy (Group A) retained 66% accuracy, while those with weaker skills (Group C) dropped to 31%. Verification behaviors also declined sharply as trust rose.

This study provides the first empirical evidence within Egyptology and tourism education on how AI hallucinations distort academic perception. It highlights the urgent need for integrating digital verification literacy and ethical AI awareness into heritage and tourism curricula to safeguard academic integrity and cultural authenticity.