Impact of ChatGPT and generative AI on lifelong learning and upskilling learners in higher education: unveiling the challenges and opportunities globally

Purpose A gripping keyword emerged in the dynamic world of 2022: GPT or the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), at its forefront, embodied by the mysterious ChatGPT. This technological marvel had been silently lurking in the background for just over five years. However, all of a sudden, it emerged onto the scene, capturing the public’s attention and quickly becoming one of the most widely adopted inventions in history. Therefore, this narrative review is conducted in order to explore the impact of generative AI and ChatGPT on lifelong learning and upskilling of students in higher education and address opportunities and challenges proposed by Artificial Intelligence from a global perspective. Design/methodology/approach This review has been conducted using a narrative literature review approach. For in-depth identification of research gaps, 105 relevant articles were included from scholarly databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC and Google Scholar. Seven major themes emerged from the literature to answer the targeted research questions that describe the use of AI, the impact of generative AI and ChatGPT on students, the challenges and opportunities of using AI in education and mitigating strategies to cope with the challenges associated with the integration of ChatGPT and generative AI in education. Findings The review of the literature presents that generative AI and ChatGPT have gained a lot of recognition among students and have revolutionized educational settings. The findings suggest that there are some contexts in which adult education research and teaching can benefit from the use of chatbots and generative AI technologies like ChatGPT. The literature does, however, also highlight the necessity of carefully considering the benefits and drawbacks of these technologies in order to prevent restricting or distorting the educational process or endangering academic integrity. In addition, the literature raises ethical questions about data security, privacy and cheating by students or researchers. To these, we add our own ethical concerns about intellectual property, such as the fact that, once we enter ideas or research results into a generative chatbot, we no longer have control over how it is used. Practical implications This review is helpful for educators and policymakers to design the curriculum and policies that encourage students to use generative AI ethically while taking academic integrity into account. Also, this review article identifies the major gaps that are associated with the impact of AI and ChatGPT on the lifelong learning skills of students. Originality/value This review of the literature is unique because it explains the challenges and opportunities of using generative AI and ChatGPT, also defining its impact on lifelong learning and upskilling of students.