Some students are more likely to use generative AI to find answers instead of learning.
While universities and universities are trying to equip students with the skills to use generative artificial intelligence tools thoughtfully and ethically, recent research shows that students often outsource their thinking to chatbots.
A study in the University of Southern California Generation AI and Society Research found that the average student using Generation AI services does so to get a direct answer to avoid learning. Students who have low confidence in the course or are not affiliated with their peers are also more likely to seek support from technology.
The findings point to the need for greater learning support for students, including improving internet search skills, providing more faculty support on how generative AI is used, and instilling a sense of belonging in the classroom.
Play status: As generator AI tools become more common, the majority of students say they are engaged with AI regularly. According to a 2025 survey by Tyton Partners, two-thirds of students say they use a generator AI chatbot every week.
Teachers have expressed concern that students are using artificial intelligence tools to avoid thinking and learning, but they argue that students are using AI to advance their education. Recent surveys by In Higher Ed And the Generation Lab found that 85% of students responded that they had used Generation AI for their coursework over the past year. 55% said they used it for brainstorming, half asked questions as if they were private tutors, and 46% used it to study for quizzes and exams.
Almost all students In Higher Ed The survey said universities and universities need to respond to threats to academic integrity. More than half of students require clear, standardized policies on when and how to use AI or university, providing additional flexibility around AI for transparent student use.
the study: USC researchers surveyed 1,000 US university students compared to other help sources to understand when and how they use the generator AI. Researchers distinguished between behaviors seeking instrumental help, including explaining topics covered by the class.
Students said they are most likely to turn to the internet and instructors. For executive help, students looked to the internet as well the most frequently, but before instructors and tutors they looked to generative AI or peers.
For researchers, this trend shows that students feel more comfortable towards technology than human sources seeking help.
There is a mix of national data on how and when students engage in technology and human support. One analysis from the University of California, Berkeley Center for Higher Education Research found that fewer Governors reported that students were supporting classmates. However, Tyton Partners found that 84% of students said they would first turn to people, including peers and instructors, when they needed help in the course.
A USC study found that certain students are less likely to rely on AI. Those who recognize that their internet search skills are suitable or are competent in their courses are less likely to resort to generative AI tools seeking help.
Conversely, students who reluctantly seek support from their peers were much more likely to engage with generative AI, who perceived as uncompetent. Similarly, students who trusted the generator AI were more likely to use the tool to find answers.
A recent study from WGU Labs found that students from marginalized backgrounds, including first-generation students and students of color, are more likely to say they are embracing AI tools for academic support. The WGU Labs report could link this trend to what it considers as a lack of support in other traditional forms of service offered by the institution.
However, pedagogy can affect students' interactions with AI. If professors encourage the use of thoughtful generative AI, students are more likely to engage in learning-oriented behaviors rather than seeking answers from chatbots. Researchers believe this will talk about the social impacts that professors can have about how students use AI.
