Students’ perceived impact of GenAI tools on learning and assessment in higher education: the role of individual AI competence

Abstract The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools in higher education institutions (HEIs) raises numerous questions and application possibilities. This study included N = 223 students from HEIs across different countries and investigated students’ AI competence and how they evaluated the specific benefits of several GenAI tools for learning and assessment. The GenAI tools included in the study were designed for different application contexts and purposes. The study goes beyond students’ preferences by simultaneously adopting a broad approach that considers their AI competence, their perspectives on six different GenAI tools, and a focused approach that investigates the specific benefits of these tools in learning and assessment. The results indicate that the dimensions of AI competence vary considerably, significantly impacting how the GenAI tools were evaluated. Results also show that students perceived and evaluated the different tools according to their potential use in pursuing their study goals. This research calls for a more nuanced and differentiated analysis of AI approaches by different stakeholders in HEIs for the promotion of the enhancement of students’ AI competence and awareness in using GenAI tools rather than amalgamating AI and GenAI tools under one banner and for understanding possible benefits and application of them in HE learning and assessment processes.