The Secret Reason So Many College Students Are Relying on AI Is Incredibly Sad

According to a new study, a staggering majority of American college students are using artificial intelligence in their studies — and the reason why is a pathos-laden dispatch from an education system in crisis.

In a new study in the journal Tech Trends, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte found not only that most students are now using AI to assist in their schoolwork, but also that many prefer the technology for a tragic reason: because it doesn’t judge them like a human teacher or tutor.

Surveying 460 students, the researchers asked a battery of questions about what participants use AI for and why they use it. A lack of judgment and the anonymity it provides turned out to be two of the prevailing sentiments in AI’s corner.

Though we’ve seen that effect in non-academic AI uses, such as people who talk to ChatGPT about their relationship problems because they view it as a “non-biased” sounding board. Indeed, more and more people are using chatbots as therapists not only because human counselors are rushing to out-of-network coverage due to issues with insurers, but also because they feel less judged by the technology.

As such, it’s a fascinating peek into how and why college students are using the tech — especially given that, per the UNCC study, 40.2 percent said they use AI in their studies “very frequently” and another 38.9 percent said they do so occasionally.

Unfortunately, the study didn’t break down student safety sentiments about AI into percentages or numbers, so we don’t know exactly how many of the participants expressed that feeling.

Nevertheless, the finding seems to indicate something deeper — and sadder — underlying rising AI use among students.

Basically, the situation for college students was already grim: they’re facing an uncertain job market, degrees of dubious value, and were prepared for college by an education system in crisis. Add to that their professors’ strident suspicion about student AI use — which has led some to feed papers into AI-detection software that incorrectly marks human-written work as AI-generated — and it makes sense that students would be pushed into the arms of AI.

With people of all ages and educational backgrounds turning to chatbots for judgment-free companionship, it’s not exactly shocking that students would use the technology for similar reasons. There seems to be something important and overlooked going on there, and hopefully, researchers and educators alike will take note.

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