The formation of AI Capital in higher education: Enhancing students’ academic performance and employment rates

The study evaluates the effectiveness of a 12-week AI module delivered to non-STEM university students in England, aimed at building students' AI Capital, encompassing AI-related knowledge, skills, and capabilities. An integral part of the process involved the development and validation of the AI Capital of Students scale, used to measure AI Capital before and after the educational intervention. The module was delivered on four occasions to final-year students between 2023 and 2024, with follow-up data collected on students' employment status. The findings indicate that AI learning enhances students' AI Capital across all three dimensions. Moreover, AI Capital is positively associated with academic performance in AI-related coursework. However, disparities persist. Although all demographic groups experienced progress, male students, White students, and those with stronger backgrounds in mathematics and empirical methods achieved higher levels of AI Capital and academic success. Furthermore, enhanced AI Capital is associated with higher employment rates six months after graduation. To provide a theoretical foundation for this pedagogical intervention, the study introduces and validates the AI Learning–Capital–Employment Transition model, which conceptualises the pathway from structured AI education to the development of AI Capital and, in turn, to improved employment outcomes. The model integrates pedagogical, empirical and equity-centred perspectives, offering a practical framework for curriculum design and digital inclusion. The study highlights the importance of targeted interventions, inclusive pedagogy, and the integration of AI across curricula, with support tailored to students’ prior academic experience.