Published Paper Details:

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has transformed the way students and working professionals perform academic and workplace tasks. However, empirical evidence on the relationship between screen time, AI engagement, and perceived performance remains limited, particularly in exploratory settings. This study investigates the influence of screen time and AI tool usage on perceived academic and professional performance. Data were collected from 45 respondents, comprising college students and working professionals, through a structured online questionnaire. The proposed model examined the relationships among screen time, device usage breadth, AI engagement, AI usage purposes, perceived performance improvement, and screen time growth. The findings reveal that AI has become an integral part of respondents' daily routines, with ChatGPT emerging as the most frequently used AI application. Working professionals reported significantly higher AI usage than full-time students. Most respondents perceived AI tools as enhancing their productivity and academic or professional performance. Furthermore, respondents reported a noticeable increase in overall screen time compared with the previous year, reflecting the growing integration of AI into everyday digital activities. Although several hypothesized relationships were not statistically significant because of the limited sample size, the study offers valuable exploratory evidence on emerging AI usage patterns. The findings contribute to the growing literature on AI adoption by providing preliminary empirical insights while emphasizing the need for larger, more representative samples to validate the proposed relationships.