Abstract
The combination of Generative AI (GenAI) technologies and flipped classrooms remains underexplored in higher education. The present study employed tailored AI-based chatbots in a graduate-level course comprising 16 master's students. The flipped format was based on student-led lectures supported by chatbots trained on selected academic material. A post-course survey, combining quantitative items and open-ended responses, was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic synthesis. Students reported improvement in skills such as public speaking and literature synthesis. On a 7-point scale, skill enhancement from the flipped format scored higher (M = 5.27, SD = 1.41) than from chatbot usage (M = 3.85, SD = 1.21), with overall positive course satisfaction (M = 5.11, SD = 1.57). Despite technical issues that affected usability, students valued the potential of GenAI as a learning aid. Lastly, the findings suggest the need for refined integration strategies that promote critical and responsible AI use in pedagogical settings.