Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tools, such as Copilot and ChatGPT, have the potential to enhance the teaching and learning experience in various ways, including automating routine tasks, supporting creative problem-solving, and providing real-time personalized learning assistance. However, their integration into educational contexts has also opened debates around important questions, such as academic integrity, the risk of over-reliance on technology, and their potential impact on the development of critical thinking skills. This study focuses on evaluating the acceptance and academic use of Gen AI tools among students in agri-food and biotechnology disciplines at the Universitat Politècnica de València. To achieve this, a 19-question questionnaire was developed: 12 questions aimed at identifying which Gen AI tools students are familiar with, and 7 questions focused on exploring the academic use of these tools. The latter addressed aspects such as frequency of use, purposes, trust in the responses, dependency, challenges encountered while using the tools, and intentions for future use. The questionnaire was created and distributed via Google Forms. The results showed that ChatGPT and DALL-E were the most widely recognized and used tools for generating text and images, while Siri was the most used virtual assistant, despite similar familiarity with Alexa and Google Assistant. Gen AI tools for audiovisual creation and programming were less known or used, particularly among biotechnology students. Most students used Gen AI tools weekly, with 10% of agri-food and 29% of biotechnology students reporting near-daily use. Agri-food students mainly used these tools for academic assignments and translations, while biotechnology students relied on them for addressing questions related. Both groups valued Gen AI for saving time but acknowledged the inaccuracy of responses as a key limitation, with 60–68% regularly reviewing the answers provided. Students considered themselves moderately dependent on Gen AI tools but anticipated increased future use.

Keywords: Generative AI tools, academic use, questionnaire, higher education, agri-food and biotechnology disciplines.