Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Students’ Artificial Intelligence Use and its Influencing Factors

This study is part of a larger research project that examines the impact of the spread of artificial intelligence (AI), especially ChatGPT and similar generative AI tools on Hungarian higher education. In this paper, we investigate the use of AI (in terms of awareness, tools used, areas of use, and barriers to use) and factors influencing its use in the studies of Hungarian university students, especially those studying in the fields of humanities, social sciences, and teacher education. A large-sample empirical study of 1,027 students revealed significant differences in the use of AI tools by course type, gender, educational level, and field of study. Areas of use and barriers to use are significantly influenced by course type and gender, whereas the level of knowledge is considerably influenced by course type. The results of our study can support higher education institutions in developing strategies to promote the ethical use of AI tools and to integrate them into educational processes while ensuring equal access for all students.