Cyprus Mental Health Institute European Archives of Social Sciences 3061-9572 3061-9572 2 2 Turkish 2 N N Y 2025 08 22 Full Length Paper A New Threshold in Academic Transformation: An In-Depth Examination of the Role of Artificial Intelligence-Based Tools in Higher Education> Turkish Y 75 82 Burak Demir Turkish University of Mediterranean Karpasia, Institute of Social Sciences Faculty of Business Administration, Nicosia TRN Cyprus burak.demir@akun.edu.tr N 0000-0001-5666-359X Gozel Adizova Turkish Turkey gozel.adizova@akun.edu.tr Y 0009-0000-5111-9990 Engin Þirvan Turkish TRN Cyprus engin.sirvan@alasia.edu.tr N 0009-0008-5985-156X 10.35365/eass.25.02.02 This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) tools are used by academics in higher education, their advantages, and the challenges encountered. The mixed-methods research conducted with 150 academics working in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) collected quantitative data through surveys and qualitative data through semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that 92% of academics are aware of AI tools, with 64.7% actively using them. The most common usage areas were identified as academic writing (56%) and literature review (46%). Tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, and Elicit are among the most frequently preferred. While participants believe AI tools increase productivity (M=4.21), they harbor concerns about ethical risks (M=3.84) and originality issues (M=3.69). The main obstacles faced by academics were identified as lack of technical knowledge (51.3%), ethical concerns (42%), and insufficient institutional guidance (38.7%). Qualitative findings revealed that participants acknowledge AI tools save time and support academic English writing, yet express concerns about unclear ethical boundaries and lack of institutional guidance. The research results emphasize the critical importance of developing comprehensive training programs, clear ethical guidelines, and institutional support systems to ensure effective and ethical use of AI. These findings provide significant contributions to the development of digital transformation policiesin higher education. Turkish Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence Awareness, Ethical Concerns,Digital Transformation https://eassjournal.com/index.php/pub/article/view/59/27 https://eassjournal.com/index.php/pub/article/view/59/version/59/ https://eassjournal.com/index.php/pub/article/view/59/27 Turkish Kaynaklar 82 82