Abstract
Artificial intelligence chatbot technology holds tremendous potential to be deployed as a student support service automation platform in comprehensive open distance e-learning institutions of higher learning in the Fifth Industrial Revolution. Inadequate support service provision to students at comprehensive open distance e-learning institutions of higher education has prompted this investigation into the use of artificial intelligence chatbot technology for the provision of student support services at comprehensive open distance e-learning higher education institutions in the Fifth Industrial Revolution. This qualitative study adopted content analysis as its research methodology, which is grounded in a literature review that incorporated insights from the researchers’ experiences with utilising artificial intelligence chatbots for student support in comprehensive open distance e-learning higher education institutions in the Fifth Industrial Revolution. The findings of the study indicate that artificial intelligence chatbot technology may be able to provide support services to students in a comprehensive open distance e-learning setting. Artificial intelligence chatbots can be utilised in the administration department to respond and make calls to students, as well as provide information about the application and registration processes, and assist students in this regard. Students could also use the artificial intelligence chatbots for learning and to conduct research. The study recommends a framework for the use of artificial intelligence chatbots for the provision of support services to students at comprehensive open distance e-learning higher education institutions in a new and emerging phase of industrialisation, namely the Fifth Industrial Revolution.