As per the latest Survey conducted by the Digital Education Council, a global alliance of universities and industry partners dedicated to education innovation, most students (86%) use artificial intelligence in their studies. And they use it regularly. 24 percent reported using AI every day, 54% daily or weekly, and 54% at least once a week.
The Digital Education Council Global AI Student Survey aims to provide insights into student perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education to inform university leadership decision-making. The report covers AI usage and readiness status, student perception of AI use cases, expectations and preferences on university actions on AI, satisfaction with institutions’ AI adoption, concerns, and key attributes for AI use.
This Survey has gathered 3839 responses across 16 countries from bachelor, master, and doctorate students in multiple fields of study, offering diverse student viewpoints on AI in education. This study also guides universities looking to embrace AI while addressing potential risks and concerns.
Following are the key insights of the Survey
Usage of AI Tools
The Survey shows a broad adoption of various AI tools among students. ChatGPT emerges as the most widely used tool, with 66% of students using it in their studies. Grammarly and Microsoft Copilot also see substantial usage, each with a 25% student adoption rate. In addition to these popular tools, students report utilizing various AI applications such as Claude AI, Blackbox, DeepL, and Canva image generator. On average, each student uses more than two AI tools, and 22% of students claim to use more than three AI tools to assist their studies. Despite the widespread use of AI tools, the study found that students needed to determine whether they had sufficient AI knowledge and skills. 58 percent of students felt they needed more knowledge and skills in AI, and 48 percent said they needed more preparation for an AI-powered workplace.
Readiness, Satisfaction and Expectations
According to the research, most students believe their university’s AI integration needs to meet their expectations fully. To close this gap, universities must identify the most valued AI use cases and qualities among students. This understanding will help universities integrate AI more effectively and student-centred. In particular, 80 per cent of students surveyed said that integrating AI tools at their university (integration into teaching and learning, student and faculty training, course topics, or other areas) still needed to meet their expectations.
Key AI expectations from students included:
- 58% of students feel that they need more AI knowledge and skills, which universities can address through AI literacy and skills courses. Students expect clear guidelines on AI use and structured and practical courses on AI literacy to develop an accurate and functional understanding of AI.
- AI competency is a necessary trait in future-ready graduates and is an in-demand core skill. Students understand that they need to develop their AI competencies to be employable and want their universities to provide the resources. 73 percent agree that universities should provide faculty training on the effective use of AI tools.
- 72 percent agree that universities should train students to effectively use AI tools, allowing them to practice applying AI in their work while following guidelines for maintaining academic integrity.
- 71 percent feel universities should involve students in deciding which AI tools to implement.
Value of AI-generated Courses
The Survey highlights that students perceive the courses primarily created and delivered by AI. Only 18 percent of the students believe they are more valuable than traditional courses. Universities should consider making cautious moves when using AI in content creation and delivery. 54 percent of students find courses primarily created and delivered by AI less valuable than traditional courses.
AI Monitoring of Well-Being Faces Pushback from Students
AI for stress level and well-being monitoring is one use case that faces strong student pushback. Only 24 percent of the students perceive such AI use positively, and 42 percent do not believe AI monitoring stress levels and giving recommendations improves their well-being.
Privacy and Trustworthiness of AI are Students’ Top Concerns
The study indicates that 60 percent of students worry about the fairness of AI evaluations. With only 11% of students unworried about the fairness of AI evaluations (scoring 1−2), this issue is a key concern among students.
Over-Reliance on AI Affects Students
Students do not want to become over-reliant on AI and do not want their professors to do so. 55 percent of students s believe over-reliance on AI in teaching decreases the value they receive, whereas 52 percent of students feel over-reliance on AI negatively impacts their academic performance Most students want to incorporate AI into their education, yet also perceive the dangers of becoming over-reliant on AI. Concern about AI over-reliance in teaching may cause students to question the quality of education they receive and the fairness of any AI evaluations without human involvement from educators.
Universities need to strike a balance between integrating AI and over-reliance on AI. When using AI in teaching and learning, institutions have to find a balance between support and over-reliance. To maintain a high-quality education, teachers and staff must set strict guidelines to ensure responsibility and monitoring of AI use.
Alessandro Di Lullo, CEO of the Digital Education Council and Academic Fellow in AI Governance at the University of Hong Kong, commented on the recently released Survey:
The rise in AI usage is forcing institutions to view AI as a core infrastructure rather than a tool. At the same time, universities need to think about how to effectively increase AI literacy to equip both students and academics with the skills they need to succeed in an AI-driven world.
About Digital Education Council
Initiated by SuperCharger Ventures, the world’s largest EdTech-only accelerator and over a dozen high-profile universities from around the world, the Digital Education Council (DEC) is a global alliance with a shared vision to drive sustainable innovation and AI adoption for Higher Education and Workforce Development. It has access to the world’s largest EdTech network, with over 10,000 solutions. DEC is more than an alliance; it is a global movement for education innovation. Its strength lies in the diverse perspectives, knowledge, and experiences that international member institutions bring.
