Academic AI: Delving into the World of AI Tools in Education

The Rise of AI in Academic Settings

AI tools have been steadily making their presence known in the academic landscape since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022. A study conducted by Anthropic provides insights into the types of tasks university students use AI chatbots for, the majors that use these tools the most, and the educational benefits and drawbacks of such integration.

What Do Students Use AI Tools For?

Anthropic analyzed 574,740 anonymized conversations between AI chatbots and users at the Free and Pro tiers with higher education email addresses. The data revealed that students primarily use AI tools to complete coursework-related tasks. The conversations were categorized into four types: Direct Problem Solving, Direct Output Creation, Collaborative Problem Solving, and Collaborative Output Creation.

• Direct Problem Solving and Direct Output Creation refer to when students sought answers to a question or requested finished content.
• Collaborative Problem Solving and Collaborative Output Creation refer to students dialoguing with the AI chatbot to solve problems and create content.

Almost half of all conversations fell into the Direct categories, indicating students were seeking answers or content with minimal engagement. In 39% of conversations, students used the AI tool to create and improve educational content across disciplines, such as designing practice questions, editing essays, or summarizing academic material.

Usage by Discipline

The findings also showed that students in different disciplines used AI tools in varying ways. STEM students typically used AI tools for problem-solving and collaborative queries, while humanities, business, and health students both collaborated and sought direct outputs. Students in the Education field used AI tools to generate content in nearly 75% of conversations, such as creating lesson plans and other teaching materials.

Acknowledging Potential Misuse

Anthropic also flagged queries that asked for answers to multiple-choice questions about machine learning and responses to English test questions, as well as requests to rewrite texts so they would not be detected by plagiarism checkers. However, the company noted that these queries could also indicate routine study prep and that the educational context in which the AI tool’s responses were used could determine whether the use constitutes cheating or not.

Academic Benefits and Drawbacks

The study reveals several realities about AI and education, some with more potential than others. The data shows that students use AI tools to create in nearly 40% of queries and analyze in 30% of queries, both considered complex cognitive functions.