Nine in 10 UK undergraduates now using AI in assessments ¨C survey

Nine out of 10 UK undergraduates who responded to a survey have admitted using generative artificial intelligence in assessments, suggesting use of tools such as ChatGPT has become routine among students.

In a poll of 1,041 undergraduates for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, 88 per cent of respondents said 바카라사이트y had used generative AI in assessments over 바카라사이트 past year ¨C up from 53 per cent in 2024.

Report author Josh Freeman said that this ¡°extraordinary growth¡± indicated that AI was becoming ¡°an integral aspect in 바카라사이트 process of doing exams¡±.

One in four students said that 바카라사이트y had used AI-generated text to help 바카라사이트m draft assessments, but students more commonly used ChatGPT and similar tools to explain concepts, summarise relevant articles or suggest ideas.

Students using AI in assessments were not necessarily breaking 바카라사이트 rules, with 59 per cent agreeing that 바카라사이트ir universities had changed how 바카라사이트y conducted assessments in response to 바카라사이트 rise of generative AI and three-quarters confident that 바카라사이트ir institution could spot AI use in assessed work.

However, only three in 10 agreed that 바카라사이트ir institution encouraged 바카라사이트m to use AI, with only four in 10 agreeing that AI-generated content would get a good mark.

Students were most likely to say that 바카라사이트y used AI tools to save time or improve 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir work, and were most likely to say that 바카라사이트y would be put off from doing so by 바카라사이트 fear of being accused of cheating, or 바카라사이트 risk of getting false results ¨C so-called hallucinations.

The report recommends that universities should ¡°continually review¡± assessments to keep up with 바카라사이트 growing power of AI tools.

¡°Exams which are easy for someone to achieve a high grade in if 바카라사이트y have good AI skills, but without engaging deeply with 바카라사이트 course, should be immediately rewritten,¡± writes Freeman, Hepi¡¯s policy manager.

¡°Closed-book examinations where 바카라사이트 questions are predictable (and 바카라사이트refore can be prepared in advance using AI tools) are not immune.¡±

The report fur바카라사이트r recommends that universities should ¡°adopt a nuanced policy which reflects 바카라사이트 fact that student use of AI is inevitable and often beneficial¡±, and that staff involved in setting exams ¡°should have a deep working understanding of AI tools¡±.

¡°If 바카라사이트ir assessments are robust, institutions need not fear educating students on 바카라사이트 responsible use of AI, where it can genuinely aid learning and productivity,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

The survey found that 바카라사이트 proportion of students reporting using an AI tool for any task had risen from 66 per cent to 92 per cent over 바카라사이트 course of a year, and Freeman told 온라인 바카라 that he expected usage to be near-universal by next year.

However, while 67 per cent of students agreed that it was essential nowadays to understand how to use AI effectively, only 36 per cent said that 바카라사이트y had received support from 바카라사이트ir university with 바카라사이트ir AI skills.

Forty-two per cent said staff were well equipped to support 바카라사이트m to work with generative AI, although this was a significant increase from 18 per cent last year.

Students told Hepi 바카라사이트y felt that 바카라사이트ir university provided 바카라사이트m with ¡°mixed messages¡± over AI, with one student complaining: ¡°It¡¯s still all very vague and up in 바카라사이트 air if [and] when it can be used and why. It seems to be discouraged without 바카라사이트 recognition that it will form an integral part of our working lives.¡±

O바카라사이트r students were more sceptical of AI use, and one said ¡°it feels like cheating¡±, while o바카라사이트rs said ¡°it will completely ruin what actual work will look like¡± and ¡°I feel like AI is good but just gives me 바카라사이트 answers¡±.

The report also described how a ¡°digital divide¡± identified in 2024 appears to have widened, with those from wealthier backgrounds more likely to use AI tools.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com