DESIGN OF AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)-BASED COUNSELING SERVICE APPLICATION FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

This study aims to identify the needs and design an artificial intelligence (AI)-based counseling service system tailored for students in open and distance higher education (ODHE). The research is motivated by the high prevalence of psychological distress among students, limited access to professional counselors, and the underutilization of technology in adaptive and personalized psychological services. The study employed the Rapid Application Development (RAD) method, focusing on needs analysis through surveys with 73 students and interviews with seven experts and four application developers. The analysis revealed that over 82% of students had experienced academic stress, and approximately 70% expressed interest in using AI-based counseling services. Students expected the system to provide early detection, ensure anonymity, and include empathetic features powered by Natural Language Processing (NLP). Experts emphasized the importance of a human-in-the-loop approach, while developers highlighted the need for NLP integration, emotion detection, and ethical-by-design principles. These findings suggest that an effective AI counseling system must integrate technological capabilities, psychological sensitivity, and digital ethics to serve as a responsive and trustworthy emotional support tool for ODHE students.