A new survey from online tutoring platform Preply reports that 80% of students and recent alumni use AI tools in schools. Usage trends vary widely by state, subject, and task in Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas, reporting the highest adoption rates.
Prepder is a global language tutoring company with over 90,000 private tutors and students in over 175 countries. The company commissioned a survey to understand how US students integrate AI into academic work and what this means for the future of learning.
Students use AI most for English, mathematics and abstract texts
Among academic subjects, English/Language Arts and Mathematics are at the top of the list, with over 42% of students reporting their use of AI in each. History is 27% and computer science is 22%.
From an academic task perspective, summarizing reading materials is the most common use case (45.1%) followed by essay editing (44.8%) and solving mathematics or science problems (44.6%). Writing a complete essay or report is not very common, and is used by 36.4% of students.
College students are more likely to use AI every day than high school students and cross-check their output. However, one in five students admit that they rarely or never check the information provided by AI before submitting their studies.
ChatGpt dominates, but students use a mix of platforms
When asked which tool is most used, almost 80% of students are named ChatGpt. Google Gemini came in second with 36.5%, followed by Microsoft Copilot (16.4%), Deepseek (11.6%) and Meta AI (11%).
Grammarly is the most widely used AI integration platform outside of chatbots, followed by Canva and Quillbot. Students use these tools to report for revision, creative projects, and paraphrases.
Language learning is another common area of AI use. Most students who use AI to study languages learn English, followed by Spanish and French. However, 45% say they still prefer human tutors when it comes to mastering the nuances of communication.
The highest in the southern states of AI and the lowest in the Midwest and Northwest
The highest reported student AI usage scores came from Arkansas (58.3), Mississippi (51.6), and Texas (49.2). At the other end of the scale, students from Illinois, Nevada and Oregon reported that they are most frequently used.
Research author Christina Migueles noted that the findings reflect more than just technology trends. “True learning requires more than a quick answer,” she writes. “It requires guidance, empathy and true understanding.”
Preply's learning expert Anita Derecskei adds, “AI can enhance language practice, but it is the insight and encouragement of expert tutors that unlock deeper learning.”
