Asian Journal of Research in Nursing and Health

The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has prompted concerns regarding its potential influence on emotional intelligence (EI), particularly among student nurses whose professions require empathy and interpersonal competence. This study sought to examine the relationship between reliance on AI tools and the emotional intelligence of student nurses. Employing a descriptive-correlational design, the study involved a total of 305 student nurses from second-fourth year student nurses enrolled in a private college in Iloilo during the second semester of academic year 2025-2026. Data were collected using an adapted questionnaire measuring AI reliance in terms of availability, functionality, and complexity, and EI across five domains: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, social skills, and empathy. The Shapiro-Wilk test indicated that the data was not normally distributed (p = .004); therefore, Spearman’s rho correlation analysis was employed. Ethical clearance was obtained prior to data collection. The findings revealed that overall reliance on artificial intelligence among student nurses was an average level (M=2.68), whereas the overall level of emotional intelligence was high (M = 3.11), with empathy demonstrating the highest mean score (M = 3.25). Spearman’s rho analysis indicated a very weak yet statistically significant positive relationship between overall AI reliance and emotional intelligence (rs = 0.164, p = 0.004). Furthermore, AI availability exhibits weak but significant positive correlation with all domains of emotional intelligence, with the most substantial association identified in empathy (rs = .252, P < .001). The study concludes that AI reliance presents both beneficial and adverse implications for student nurses’ emotional intelligence. It underscores the importance of integrating curricula and support systems that foster technological competence alongside humanistic values.