Overview

• Anthropic analyzed 574,740 university-linked education chats and found 39.3% involved creating or polishing coursework and 33.5% directly sought assignment solutions over an 18-day period in April.
• USC researchers report students who use generative AI typically seek quick answers rather than learning support, with lower-confidence students and those less engaged with peers more likely to rely on chatbots.
• Students with stronger internet search skills or higher perceived competence were less likely to turn to AI for help, suggesting skill-building and confidence may curb executive help-seeking.
• Surveys cited by Inside Higher Ed show widespread adoption, with two-thirds of students using AI weekly and majorities saying they have used it for coursework, tutoring-style queries, and studying.
• Kimberley Hardcastle argues this represents an intellectual shift that can erode critical thinking and hand epistemic power to a few tech firms, while university responses remain focused on plagiarism, assessment tweaks, and early responsible-AI initiatives.