Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are advancing rapidly, driven by the IT industry, leaving educational institutions often striving to keep up. Researchers argue that institutions should play a more proactive role in shaping AI's future in education [1]. AI tools are already integral to higher education, influencing daily practices such as research activities [e.g., 2, 3, 4], reference style guidelines [e.g., 5], and student support for writing assignments and exams [2, 6]. While guidelines for AI use in higher education are increasingly common, students' perspectives remain underexplored. Earlier studies suggest that students find AI useful for such tasks as brainstorming [4, 7], but their broader insights are still lacking in literature. The student perspective is crucial for a holistic understanding of what potential AI tools have for learning and teaching at a tertiary level [8, 9].  

This study aims to delve deeper into higher education students’ use of AI tools. Guided by the research question, "What AI tools do higher education students use, how often, and for what purposes?" data are being gathered through a digital survey administered at universities in Norway and Sweden. Running from February to April 2025 (estimated number of responses = 50 responses), the survey includes bachelor, master’s degree, and PhD students from diverse faculties and programs. Respondents report on the AI tools they use, the frequency and purposes of use, and their motivations. Moreover, Likert-scale questions evaluate AI’s perceived contribution to students’ learning (such as comprehension, reflection and critical thinking skills) and academic performance (such as grades). Finally, the survey also includes open-ended questions prompting the respondents to reflect on the pros and cons of using AI in studies.

This paper focuses on analyzing and discussing survey findings, laying the groundwork for subsequent focus group interviews, to get a deeper understanding of the identified AI’s perceived contribution to students’ knowledge comprehension and application skills, reasoning, as well as academic writing and motivation for learning.

References:
[1] N. Selwyn, “On the limits of artificial intelligence (AI) in education,” Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk & kritikk, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 3-14, 2024.
[2] Litmaps, Accessed 11 March, 2025. Retrieved from https://www.litmaps.com/
[3] Connected Papers, Accessed 11 March, 2025. Retrieved from https://www.connectedpapers.com/
[4] M. Muhic, "The transformative potential of generative AI in education", in INTED2024 Proceedings. IATED. pp. 543-547, 2024.
[5] APA Style, Accessed 11 March, 2025. Retrieved from https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt
[6] University of Agder, Accessed 11 March, 2025. Retrieved from https://www.uia.no/english/studies/for-students/examinations/ai-in-assignment-writing.html
[7] A. Lazareva, S. Vindbo, and A. Spanos, Student experiences with using ChatGPT in History classes”, in INTED2024 Proceedings. IATED. pp. 2335-2342, 2024.
[8] M. Treve, "Integrating artificial intelligence in education: Impacts on student learning and innovation", International Journal of Vocational Education and Training Research, vol. 10, 2024.
[9] F. Almasri, "Exploring the impact of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning of science: A systematic review of empirical research", Research in Science Education, vol. 54, no. 1, 2024.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, higher education, student perspective.