Authors : Balamanthara K.; S. Sudhakar; G. Balaji

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 9 - September

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/5954fzne

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26sep265

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Generation Z university students are the first cohort to move through higher education alongside mainstream generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, near-constant smartphone connectivity, and algorithmically curated social media. This article synthesises recent empirical evidence (2024–2026) to propose and justify a multidimensional framework linking AI usage patterns, digital behaviour, and psychological well-being among higher-education students. Drawing on SelfDetermination Theory, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), and Cognitive Load Theory, the paper argues that AI and digital technologies exert simultaneous facilitative and detrimental effects across five interacting dimensions of student well-being: cognitive-academic, emotional, social-relational, behavioural-regulatory, and identity-related well-being. The review shows that generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can reduce cognitive load and support learning, yet uncontrolled reliance is associated with anxiety, diminished self-efficacy, and eroded critical thinking. Similarly, smartphone and social-media behaviour can supply social connectedness and information access while simultaneously predicting loneliness, fear of missing out, and addictive use patterns. A conceptual model and a proposed empirical methodology are presented to guide future cross-sectional validation among higher-education populations. The article concludes with implications for curriculum design, digital-wellness policy, and AI-literacy training in universities.

Keywords : Artificial Intelligence; Digital Behaviour; Psychological Well-Being; Generation Z; Higher Education; ChatGPT; Smartphone Addiction; Digital literacy.

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