Critical digital literacy in artificial intelligence for the training of tourism professionals in the Latin American context

Abstract

The advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses a fundamental transformation of competencies across the edu cational and professional sectors, presenting challenges such as a lack of training, proficiency with digital tools, ethical and equity concerns, and issues of privacy and transparency. This research evaluated the level of critical AI digital literacy among students in the Master’s Program in Sustainable Tourism Management Sciences in Acapulco, analyzing its cognitive, procedural, and attitudinal dimensions. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study followed a five-phase methodological process: literature review, questionnaire design, sample selection, fieldwork, and data coding and tabulation. A 12-item Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to a sample of 32 students. The results indicate that while a favorable attitude and a high demand for mandatory training exist, procedural competence remains deficient, particularly in the use of specialized software. It was observed that although technical proficiency improves slightly in advanced semesters, a disconnect persists between technology and sustainability management. The study concludes that urgent cross-curricular integration of critical literacy is required to empower students to lead Latin America's technological transformation.