FACULTY AI READINESS AND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN UZBEKISTAN'S EXPANDING PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR
Background: In the 2025/2026 academic year, the number of non-state higher educational organizations in Uzbekistan reached ninety-seven, highlighting the rapid expansion and competitive nature of private tertiary education. While infrastructure investment is growing, the professional readiness of faculty members to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into teaching and research remains uneven, threatening to create an institutionaldigitaldivide.Methods: This study examines eighty-two full-time faculty members from twelve private universities using a descriptive, non-experimental quantitative approach. Data was collected via standardized digital literacy rubrics to assess proficiency across three key domains: generative AI pedagogy, automated research workflows, and algorithmic evaluation.Results: The empirical data demonstrates that while seventy-one percent of younger faculty (under thirty-five years old) demonstrate high proficiency in employing AI tools for syllabus generation, sixty-eight percent of senior faculty (over fifty years old) exhibit strong resistance or low literacy, preferring traditional teaching methods. Furthermore, regional branches of private institutions face a significant digital divide due to inadequate computing infrastructure and lack of localized training.Conclusion: The structural expansion of private higher education in Uzbekistan outpaces faculty digital capabilities. To mitigate this digital divide, institutions must transition from basic technology procurement to systematic, structured AI literacy programs for academic staff. [1]