Opinion poll
Two thirds of students already use AI assistants
Many students use AI primarily to familiarize themselves with a topic. (Symbolic image) photo
© Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa
The education ministers in Germany are still discussing whether AI chatbots like ChatGPT should be used in schools and universities. Widespread use has long been a reality, at least at universities.
In the survey, another 22 percent said they could imagine using ChatGPT & Co. Only nine percent of those surveyed knew about the AI assistants but could not imagine using them. Only four percent had never heard or read about chatbots like ChatGPT or Google Gemini.
Hardly any fixed guidelines for AI use
The survey also showed that at many universities there are no fixed rules for the use of AI systems or at least they are unknown in practice. Only 17 percent of those surveyed said that there were central rules, 20 percent reported rules that were individually set by teaching staff. A third of respondents (33 percent) reported that there are no rules for the use of generative AI such as ChatGPT. 30 percent knew nothing about the relevant rules or did not answer.
For the study, 506 students from all types of higher education in Germany aged 18 and over were surveyed online at the beginning of January. The survey is not representative, but provides a meaningful picture of the mood for students in Germany.
Especially for research
The students therefore primarily use AI to familiarize themselves with a topic. 68 percent say they use ChatGPT or comparable systems for research. 40 percent have summaries compiled by AI. 37 percent use AI to prepare a presentation. A good third use AI to correct their own texts (37 percent) or have texts translated (35 percent). A third use AI to prepare for exams (33 percent), a good quarter to write homework (26 percent). At the same time, almost half of those surveyed (44 percent) were in favor of banning the use of chatbots for term papers or theses.
When evaluating the answers, Bitkom identified an “artificial intelligence tension” consisting of approval and rejection of AI. On the one hand, the vast majority of students (74 percent) demand that they learn how to use ChatGPT & Co. correctly at university. Almost half think the use of AI should be standard at all universities. However, 60 percent believe that this leads to students thinking and learning less independently. Every second respondent (51 percent) believes that ChatGPT makes students less concerned with the course content.