2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The use of chatbots equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) in educational settings has increased in recent years, showing potential to support teaching and learning. However, the adoption of these technologies has raised concerns about their impact on academic integrity, students' ability to problem-solve independently, and potential underlying biases. Although previous studies have explored the benefits and risks of AI chatbots in education, this study specifically focuses on understanding students' perspectives and experiences with these tools. For this purpose, a survey was conducted at a large public university in the United States to understand students’ views on AI chatbots in educational settings. A total of 262 responses were collected from undergraduate students. Through thematic analysis, the students' responses regarding their perceived benefits and risks of AI chatbots in education were identified and categorized into themes.

The results reveal several benefits identified by the students, with feedback and study support, instruction capabilities, and access to information being the most cited. The primary concerns included risks to academic integrity, accuracy of information, loss of critical thinking skills, and the potential development of overreliance. Additional concerns emerged regarding ethical considerations such as data privacy, system bias, environmental impact, and preservation of human elements in education.

While student perceptions align with previously discussed benefits of AI in education, they show heightened concerns about distinguishing between human and AI-generated work, alongside ethical issues of data privacy, system bias, and environmental impact. The findings suggest important considerations for implementing AI chatbots in educational settings. To address students' concerns regarding academic integrity and information reliability, institutions can establish clear policies regarding AI use and develop curriculum around AI literacy. With these in place, practitioners can effectively develop and implement educational systems that leverage AI's potential in areas such as immediate feedback and personalized learning support. This approach can enhance the quality of students' educational experiences while preserving the integrity of the learning process with AI.