Students with better access to technology and AI tools can leverage these resources for academic success. A 2025 Global survey, of Higher education students by the Digital Council highlight the growing AI digital gap amongst Higher Education (HE) students. Those without access to AI tools for their academic work in a HE setting can be severely disadvantaged. In a Distant Education and ‘Open University’ context, the ‘Digital gap' can have an adverse impact on student engagement, attainment and retention. Open Universities deliver their course predominantly via online and digitally. Students at the Open University are more likely to be from more socio-economic diverse background, rural areas and marginalised and disadvantage groups. These are factors that are known contributors to creating a digital-divide amongst students in HE and it is therefore important to ensure that AI is not creating a wider-gap, particularly in a distant learning context. This research explores digital gap within a distant learning institution from an AI perspective. For this research, questionnaires were used for data collection. There were 116 responses. Without the added complexity of AI, students are already facing a digital divide through their poor access of internet connection, with 83% of respondent indicating they regularly experience internet issue with accessing their course material. Most of the respondents indicated that they are based in rural area (66%) and this shows significant (95% confident limit) with those who are most likely to experience internet and Wi-Fi access issues. Most students indicate they are comfortable with adopting new digital technologies. Only 1% indicate that they were uncomfortable. A significant number of students are already using AI for their study (78%). Of these students, 74% has indicated they use AI tools using at least once per week for their academic work. Only 56% of student indicated that they could afford the digital technologies that is required for their studies. Those who indicate that they struggle to afford digital tools for their study, correlates significantly with those who have indicated they are already experiencing challenges to their study, including disruption, failing multiple assignments and poor engagement. Students have indicated that whilst there are freely available tools for example Copilot, they can use to support their academic studies, they want to use more sophisticated AI technologies to better help with their studies. They can subscribe and pay for more specialised apps and tools, particularly around imagery, engineering analysis and language support. 27% of respondents are already purchasing AI tools as they have recognised the added advantage it provides them. It is therefore it important to ensure those who can’t afford AI tools can get access through their university. There is a Digital gap amongst students. Link to socio-economic factors and geography. The added complexity of AI could make this worst and is evident from this study. Whilst there is a limit to what university can do for students due to their geographical location, they can certainly address the affordable aspect. The university therefore needs to help in more sophisticated AI related tools to students and provide more Ai related training which 78% of students has indicated they want the university to do.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Gap, Distannce learning, attainment, disadvantage, technology.