Adoption of Generative AI in Higher Education: Perceptions of Journalism Students

Higher education has undergone a profound transformation since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022. The introduction of this tool generated immediate interest among students while simultaneously provoking concern among faculty, who perceived it as an unparalleled pedagogical challenge. This study aims to analyze how university students use generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). To this end, an online survey (n = 281) was administered to journalism students at the Universitat Jaume I de Castelló (Spain). Specifically, the study examined the frequency of use, academic applications, interaction patterns, evaluation of outcomes, and ethical perspectives regarding GenAI tools. The results indicate that 93% of students report using Gen AI, with significantly higher usage among advanced students (i.e., 3rd and 4rth academic year Journalism degree students) [F(1, 279) = 11.09, p < 0.001, n2 = 0.038]. Moreover, 77.2% of respondents use it for learning or studying, while 44.2% use it to complete class assignments. Regarding motivation, the data show that students primarily turn to artificial intelligence to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively and to achieve better results. Although students acknowledge certain risks in the academic use of Gen AI, they perceive its benefits more clearly than its limitations. Additionally, they are aware that they need more AI literacy. These findings provide valuable insights for reorienting undergraduate curricula to address the challenges of generative AI and to educate students on its ethical and appropriate use.