Just ask ChatGPT! : A study on university students' use of generative AI from a MIL perspective

The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of how generative AI tools affect students' information behavior, such as seeking information, assessing information and picking out information. We wanted to understand the students' own perspectives on their information seeking behavior in relation to AI-tools and therefore be able to understand their strengths and areas of improvement. We considered this an important area to study as the use of generative AI-tools in Swedish universities has seen an increase since the release of ChatGPT in 2022 and with it dishonest use of the tool. This was a qualitative study and the data came from a series of semi-structured interviews that was done with six university students who had used generative AI-tools before in their studies. Two theories were used to analyze the data, Säljö’s sociocultural theory and Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory. Sociocultural theory was the primary theory and the diffusion of innovation theory was used as a way of deepening the understanding of how students' outlook on new technology affects their use of said technology. Sociocultural theory showed how the students learned to use these tools, with the focus on how they used it for information seeking. The study shows that students are aware of how to apply previous knowledge on how to assess information on the information produced by AI-tools, but their understanding of AI-tools in an academic setting was mostly formed by other students and that there is a lack of clear guidance and therefore guidelines for the students to follow.