Survey of 1,000 students shows ‘explosive increase’ in use of generative AI in particular over past 12 months

British universities have been warned to “stress-test” all assessments after new research revealed “almost all” undergraduates are using generative artificial intelligence (genAI) in their studies.

A survey of 1,000 students – both domestic and international – found there had been an “explosive increase” in the use of genAI in the past 12 months. Almost nine out of 10 (88%) in the 2025 poll said they used tools such as ChatGPT for their assessments, up from 53% last year.