<![CDATA[The rapid proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies across society has prompted a fundamental reconsideration of learning and teaching in the 21st century. AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Grammarly, Photomath, and adaptive learning platforms are becoming increasingly accessible to students at all educational levels. Despite the growing global evidence of AI’s educational impact, empirical research in the Philippine Senior High School (SHS) context remains limited. Existing policy frameworks and curricular guidelines from the Department of Education (DepEd) remain largely silent on the productive and potentially harmful use of AI by learners, creating an urgent need for locally grounded evidence on this issue. This study examined the influence of AI tool integration on student engagement and academic performance among Grade 12 students at Pedro N. Roa Sr. High School and generated evidence-based recommendations for institutional AI policy in the Philippine SHS setting. This action research used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design conducted during the 2025–2026 School Year. The respondents included all 208 Grade 12 students enrolled across five SHS tracks, selected through total population sampling. Data were collected using the Student AI Engagement Scale (SAES), a researcher-adapted instrument validated for local context (Cronbach’s α = 0.87), official quarterly academic records, and teacher-observation protocols. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative findings from focus group discussions were examined thematically. Results showed a significant positive relationship between AI tool usage and academic performance (r = 0.61, p < 0.001), improved mean academic performance from Q1 to Q3, higher engagement among female students, and themes of increased confidence, enhanced critical thinking, and occasional over-reliance on AI-generated content.]]>
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