Survey: Students outside of computer science often unsatisfied with AI offerings

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Many students outside of computer science do not yet regularly use artificial intelligence (AI) in their everyday studies. This was the result of a survey conducted as part of the university ranking by the Center for Higher Education Development (CHE) in the winter semester 2023/2024. At the same time, only computer science students are satisfied on average with how AI is addressed within the university.

Around half of the 30,000 or so students surveyed use external AI tools such as ChatGPT. The majority of respondents use the tools occasionally or daily for exercises, but also for writing reports or preparing for exams.

Significant differences between the degree programs

The usage preferences for AI tools differ significantly between the degree programs. The researchers explain this with the different content and study forms of the subjects. Artificial intelligence is already frequently used in computer science in particular: 61 percent of computer science students stated that they use AI monthly to daily for programming activities, followed by 36 percent in physics.

In subjects such as sociology, political science and sports science, students were more likely to use the tools to write reports, seminar papers or theses. According to the authors of the study, medical students were less likely to use AI.

At 76 percent, computer science students used AI support most frequently for exercises. According to the respondents, AI also helps with general research and brainstorming, explaining or following up on study content across all subjects. It provides support with formulations, summaries and text correction, as well as with literature research or providing an overview of a topic.

Few universities have an internal offer

When asked about their university's own AI tools, the majority of students stated that they did not yet exist at their institution. If they do, they tend to use the tools to answer organizational questions or for feedback on exercises.

Only the majority of computer science degree courses were satisfied with the range of services for acquiring skills in dealing with AI. The situation is significantly worse in the other degree programs. In computer science, AI is often already part of the course content, according to the survey. The dissatisfaction is particularly noticeable in the subjects of chemistry, geosciences, medicine, pharmacy and dentistry.

Students value ethical treatment

Apparently, many students - particularly those studying computer science, sociology and political science - consider the ethically correct use of new technological achievements to be important. 47% think it is very important or important that their university only uses AI to evaluate their personal and study-related data with their consent. 38 percent are also in favor of a university code of conduct for dealing with AI. Here, approval was particularly high in sociology and political science.

At the same time, more than a third of respondents did not answer these questions. "It can be assumed that many students have not yet dealt with the topic in depth or that the universities have not yet made any regulations in this regard and have therefore left the questions unanswered," says the CHE publication.

Students should be empowered to deal with the issue

The authors of the CHE ranking emphasize that universities need to adopt a broader approach to AI, not least because more and more students will be using it in the future outside of IT. They need to be able to do this in an appropriate and informed manner - also in order to be able to classify ethical, legal and social issues. "A transfer of AI expertise from the field of computer science to other fields of study should contribute to this, for example through an exchange between lecturers or interdisciplinary courses."

The survey included the responses of 34,147 students from the third semester onwards in 15 different subjects in mathematics and natural sciences, medicine, political science, sociology and sport/sports science. The CHE ranking is only updated for each subject every three years. The survey takes place annually in different subjects.

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