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April 2025 - Education

92% of undergraduates now use generative AI tools in some form to support their academic studies: A recent survey has revealed that nearly all (92%) undergraduate students use generative AI (GenAI) tools in some capacity in their university studies, up from just two-thirds (66%) in 2024, with the majority reporting that it saves them time and improves the quality of their work.

The research conducted by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) (building on their 2024 AI Survey) engaged 1,041 full-time undergraduate students in February this year to understand the types of GenAI tools they use, why they use them, and any potential drawbacks.

The results from the 2025 survey reveal that there are significant increases in GenAI use in every area when compared with the 2024 data. Nearly two-thirds report using tools like ChatGPT for generating text, more than double that in 2024 (64% cf. 30%). The second most common reason is to enhance and edit writing, with just under two-fifths (39%) using tools like Grammarly for this purpose. Other popular uses include summarising, note-taking, or quizzing University textbooks (36%), translation or language support (35%, up from 25% in 2024), and speech-to-text transcription (24% cf. 20% 2024). Another significant finding is that over four-fifths (88%) of respondents have used AI to assist with assessments, up from 53% in 2024.

In addition to highlighting its time-saving capabilities (51%) and improving the quality of their work (50%), many respondents note that generative AI offers support beyond the traditional teaching environment. Specifically, 40% report that it provides “instant support,” while nearly one-third (32%) have indicated they use it for “personalised support.”

Despite appreciating the benefits of generative AI respondents are also aware of the associated drawbacks. Being accused of cheating (53%) and getting false results/hallucinations (50%) are their two greatest worries. When analysed by gender, women are more likely to be concerned about using AI than men with nearly three-fifths (59%) worried they could be accused of cheating compared to forty-five per cent of men.

Amongst its core recommendations, HEPI emphasises that institutions need to change their perspective on AI and advises that rather than concentrating on the potential drawbacks, like cheating, they should do more to support students in developing their AI skills and competency in using generative AI tools positively and ethically.

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