A survey of 2,083 students reveals that more than half use AI on a daily basis. Students cite time savings and quality gains but express concerns about accuracy and plagiarism.
DOVER, Delaware, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- New research from StudyAgent, "80% of Students Use AI for Academic Tasks," reveals that artificial intelligence has become an everyday companion for U.S. students. Over 80% of college students now use AI tools in their studies, and more than half use them daily, signaling a profound transformation in modern education. A survey of 2,083 U.S.-based students was conducted on October 6, 2025, via the Prolific research platform. Results indicate that AI is no longer an experimental aid but an entrenched component of student learning strategies.
Topline Findings
- Over 80% of surveyed students admitted to using AI for academic work, with more than 50% reporting daily usage.
- 90% say they use AI more frequently now than they did a year ago, and on average, each student uses about two different AI tools.
- Most-used tools include ChatGPT, Grammarly, Gemini, Copilot, and Quillbot.
- Students turn to AI to save time, improve the quality of work, get explanations for complex concepts, draft essays/papers, summarize text, and check grammar.
- Almost 30% of students say they use AI when they are stuck on an assignment – treating it as a real-time support tool.
- Despite high usage, 40% cite test anxiety as a driver, 39% specify difficulty in STEM subjects, and 30% feel they lack sufficient skills to use AI effectively (down from 58% in a comparable 2024 external study).
- Key concerns reported by students included the risk of plagiarism detection, incorrect or "hallucinated" information produced by AI, and fear of disciplinary action.
- A full one-third of students have paid for AI tool subscriptions; 82% of these pay out of pocket, with an average monthly cost between US $15–20.
- 66% of students who previously outsourced work now do so less frequently, citing AI as a faster and lower-cost alternative; and 78% of those still outsourcing combine AI drafts with human editing to mitigate plagiarism risk and improve quality.
The StudyAgent report underlines several significant implications for schools, universities, EdTech companies and policy-makers:
- AI is mainstream in education: What might once have been experimental is now integral to student study habits.
- Blended workflows dominate: Students are combining AI-generated content with human oversight, signaling a shift toward hybrid human–AI collaboration rather than pure automation.
- The skills gap remains a barrier: Even with high adoption, nearly one-third of students feel underprepared to use AI tools effectively — highlighting the need for instruction, training, and digital-literacy initiatives.
- Ethics & integrity concerns persist: Issues of plagiarism detection, "hallucinated" or inaccurate output from AI, and institutional detection processes remain top concerns among students.
- EdTech market poised for growth: The global AI-in-education market is estimated at US $5.88 billion in 2024 and projected to reach US $32.27 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of ~31.2%.
"AI has become the new calculator — it's essential, powerful, and impossible to ignore," said Dmytro Dziubka, Chief Marketing Officer at StudyAgent. "Student interaction with AI has moved beyond experimentation into routine academic practice. The data highlights both the practical benefits, such as faster drafting and improved grammar, and the risks that require institutional guidance, including verification of facts and clear academic policies."
Methodology
The findings are based on a survey of 2,083 U.S. students, conducted on October 6, 2025, via the Prolific platform. Respondents represented a mix of high school, college, and graduate students using AI on desktop, mobile, or tablet devices. The study's margin of error is ±5 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.
The full research report, including detailed breakdowns by degree level, major, tool-usage frequency, and actionable recommendations, is available at: https://studyagent.com/research/80-percent-students-use-ai-for-academic-tasks
About StudyAgent
StudyAgent (formerly StudyPro) is an AI-powered assistant designed for anyone working on academic content, providing an all-in-one solution for writing, refining, and ensuring originality. Combining advanced AI writing tools with study-focused features, StudyAgent helps students work smarter, faster, and more effectively throughout their learning journey.
Media Contact
Ksenia Salabay, StudyAgent, 1 8147313831, [email protected], https://studyagent.com/
SOURCE StudyAgent
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