Higher ed students’ AI adoption and professional readiness

Half of students believe that learning how to use AI is the most important skill they’ll gain in college, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 students pursuing higher education degrees revealed that another 62% believe that learning how to use AI responsibly is essential for their future career and success.

And educators are staying up to speed, as only 28% feel that their school is behind the times in terms of embracing new technology.

On top of that, nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents said their school has an AI policy in place.

For some of these students, the policy allows AI to be used for very specific tasks (30%). Other policies allow for it to be used more generally, as long as it’s cited properly (31%).

But for an almost equal amount (32%), the policy is simply “don’t use AI.”

Although 69% of students at schools with an AI policy said that “all” or “most” of their professors have discussed the policy, only 11% said their professors actually encourage them to use AI.

Commissioned by Grammarly and conducted by Talker Research, the survey dove further into the responsible uses of AI and how education is evolving to account for the new technology.

About one-third (34%) of students feel “very confident” that they’re using AI in an ethical and responsible way for school-related tasks.

Overall, 87% use AI for school, and even more (90%) use it for general life admin, spending an average of about five hours per week using these tools for schoolwork and another five hours using them for tasks unrelated to their classes.

Still, 55% of those students admit that they feel like they’re navigating this territory without proper guidance.

Nearly half (46%) even worry about getting in trouble for their use of AI, while 10% actually have.

“AI is no longer a theoretical concept in education; it’s a core part of how students learn, work and prepare for what’s next,” said Jenny Maxwell, Head of Education at Grammarly. “With around half of students feeling they’re navigating using AI without clear direction and many worried about getting in trouble, we see this as a wake-up call for educational institutions to provide the support students need to be both comfortable and confident using the technology.”

While some schools are still figuring out their approach to AI, students are embracing the technology at a fast pace.

According to the results, using AI for schoolwork is generally seen among peer groups as acceptable, as long as it’s properly disclosed (37%). Only 25% see using AI as cheating.

Another 22% even indicated that their classmates view using AI for school as smart and efficient.

Helping to brainstorm ideas (49%), checking grammar and spelling (42%) and understanding difficult concepts from classes (41%) are the top three ways students are already putting AI to use.

On top of that, 29% turn to AI for anything they’re embarrassed to ask someone in person or even for life advice (25%).

“Whether it’s curbing writer’s block, proofing students’ work or helping answer questions they’re hesitant to raise in class, AI is becoming a trusted collaboration partner for students,” said Maxwell. “Their enthusiastic adoption gives educators a powerful opportunity to meet students where they are and help shape a future where technology enhances learning and sets students up for long-term success in their professional and personal lives.”