Higher education students’ perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactions

The paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale global study to date on how higher education students perceived the use of ChatGPT in early 2024. With a sample of 23,218 students from 109 countries and territories, the study reveals that students primarily used ChatGPT for brainstorming, summarizing texts, and finding research articles, with a few using it for professional and creative writing. They found it useful for simplifying complex information and summarizing content, but less reliable for providing information and supporting classroom learning, though some considered its information clearer than that from peers and teachers. Moreover, students agreed on the need for AI regulations at all levels due to concerns about ChatGPT promoting cheating, plagiarism, and social isolation. However, they believed ChatGPT could potentially enhance their access to knowledge and improve their learning experience, study efficiency, and chances of achieving good grades. While ChatGPT was perceived as effective in potentially improving AI literacy, digital communication, and content creation skills, it was less useful for interpersonal communication, decision-making, numeracy, native language proficiency, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students also felt that ChatGPT would boost demand for AI-related skills and facilitate remote work without significantly impacting unemployment. Emotionally, students mostly felt positive using ChatGPT, with curiosity and calmness being the most common emotions. Further examinations reveal variations in students' perceptions across different socio-demographic and geographic factors, with key factors influencing students' use of ChatGPT also being identified. Higher education institutions' managers and teachers may benefit from these findings while formulating the curricula and instructions/regulations for ChatGPT use, as well as when designing the teaching methods and assessment tools. Moreover, policymakers may also consider the findings when formulating strategies for secondary and higher education system development, especially in light of changing labor market needs and related digital skills development.

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Publication Details

Journal
PLoS ONE
Published
2025-02-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315011
Citations
106
Primary Topic
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
68.70

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article

Higher education students’ perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactions

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106 citations
PLoS ONE
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
68.70
article

Higher education students’ perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactions

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article en
106 citations

Abstract

The paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale global study to date on how higher education students perceived the use of ChatGPT in early 2024. With a sample of 23,218 students from 109 countries and territories, the study reveals that students primarily used ChatGPT for brainstorming, summarizing texts, and finding research articles, with a few using it for professional and creative writing. They found it useful for simplifying complex information and summarizing content, but less reliable for providing information and supporting classroom learning, though some considered its information clearer than that from peers and teachers. Moreover, students agreed on the need for AI regulations at all levels due to concerns about ChatGPT promoting cheating, plagiarism, and social isolation. However, they believed ChatGPT could potentially enhance their access to knowledge and improve their learning experience, study efficiency, and chances of achieving good grades. While ChatGPT was perceived as effective in potentially improving AI literacy, digital communication, and content creation skills, it was less useful for interpersonal communication, decision-making, numeracy, native language proficiency, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students also felt that ChatGPT would boost demand for AI-related skills and facilitate remote work without significantly impacting unemployment. Emotionally, students mostly felt positive using ChatGPT, with curiosity and calmness being the most common emotions. Further examinations reveal variations in students' perceptions across different socio-demographic and geographic factors, with key factors influencing students' use of ChatGPT also being identified. Higher education institutions' managers and teachers may benefit from these findings while formulating the curricula and instructions/regulations for ChatGPT use, as well as when designing the teaching methods and assessment tools. Moreover, policymakers may also consider the findings when formulating strategies for secondary and higher education system development, especially in light of changing labor market needs and related digital skills development.

PLoS ONEVol. 20(2)
University of Sarajevo (BA), Ain Shams University (EG), Universidade da Coruña (ES), University of Verona (IT), Manchester Metropolitan University (GB), Meiji Gakuin University (JP), Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava (RO), Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (RO), Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi (TR), University of Alicante (ES), University of Cape Coast (GH), University of Chester (GB), Université Oran 1 Ahmed Ben Bella (DZ), Southern Federal University (RU), University of Pannonia (HU), University of Bucharest (RO), University of Lisbon (PT), Autonomous University of Chihuahua (MX), Applied Science Private University (JO), Universidad Veracruzana (MX), University of Ljubljana (SI), Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (GT), University of East London (GB), Jiaying University (CN), Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO), Universidad de Los Andes (CO), Open University of Israel (IL), Binus University (ID), Meiji University (JP), University of the Fraser Valley (CA), University of Nicosia (CY), Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (MX), University of Zagreb (HR), University of Dar es Salaam (TZ), South East European University (MK), Universidade do Porto (PT), Ilia State University (GE), Yamanashi Gakuin University (JP), University of Luxembourg (LU), University of Economics in Katowice (PL), Universität Innsbruck (AT), Universidade Politécnica de Viana do Castelo (PT), Universidad de Guadalajara (MX), Delta State University (NG), Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (BD), European University Cyprus (CY), Riga Technical University (LV), University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik (SK), Al-Quds University (PS), Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral (EC), J. Selye University (SK), University of Bío-Bío (CL), Galileo University (GT), University of Cape Verde (CV), Mahidol University (TH), King George's Medical University (IN), Patuakhali Science and Technology University (BD), Technical University of Sofia (BG), Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (ES), Fan Noli University (AL), Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (PH), Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts (UA), Universidad Vasco de Quiroga (MX), Mulungushi University (ZM), Eastern Mediterranean University (CY), University of Belgrade (RS), University of Rwanda (RW), University North (HR), Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí (EC), Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University (UA), Universitas Achmad Yani (ID), All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhubaneswar (IN), Universitas Muhammadiyah Metro (ID), Alberta College (LV), Universidad Indoamérica (EC), Kwame Nkrumah University (ZM), Centre for Health Technology and Services Research (PT), EKA University of Applied Sciences (LV), Universidad Pedagógica Veracruzana (MX), Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical (PT), Sadat Academy for Management Sciences (EG), University of Technology Malaysia (MY), Universidade Federal do Maranhão (BR), University of Tartu (EE), Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" (BG), De La Salle University (PH), Atatürk University (TR), Istanbul University (TR), University of Chile (CL), State University of Zanzibar (TZ), Midlands State University (ZW), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (SA), University of Brescia (IT), Sapienza University of Rome (IT), University of Sousse (TN), Ibero-American University Puebla (MX), Kherson State University (UA), University of Monterrey (MX), Minia University (EG), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX)
Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
68.70
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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