How Generation Z uses and values ChatGPT in higher education

A new study published in Youth reveals how Generation Z students in Poland perceive ChatGPT’s usefulness in higher education, shedding light on both current experiences and future expectations for AI-powered tools in learning. The research, titled “Youth and ChatGPT: Perceptions of Usefulness and Usage Patterns of Generation Z in Polish Higher Education”, provides one of the most comprehensive snapshots yet of how a digitally native student population is adapting to AI in academic contexts.

Based on responses from 409 students across Polish universities, the study combines insights from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Expectation–Confirmation Theory (ECT), and Task–Technology Fit (TTF). The findings highlight a significant gap between ChatGPT’s current role in classrooms and its perceived future potential, underscoring the challenges and opportunities for educators, policymakers, and developers.

Generational attitudes toward ChatGPT’s educational role

The research focuses on five key roles students believe ChatGPT can play: tutor, task assistant, text editor, teacher, and motivator. Across all categories, respondents rated ChatGPT’s potential usefulness higher than its current impact, signaling both enthusiasm for its future evolution and dissatisfaction with its present capabilities.

Students regarded ChatGPT most positively as a tutor and task assistant, emphasizing its ability to guide problem-solving, clarify concepts, and help with academic tasks. It also scored highly as a text editor, assisting in drafting and refining essays and assignments. However, students viewed it less favorably as a teacher, suggesting they do not yet see it as a replacement for structured instruction. The lowest rating went to ChatGPT’s role as a motivator, indicating limited trust in AI for providing encouragement or inspiration in learning.

Interestingly, students who had actively used ChatGPT for writing assignments tended to value it more as a task assistant, while those who used it primarily for study purposes rated it higher as a teacher. Non-users, on the other hand, were more optimistic about its potential as a tutor, suggesting that firsthand experiences with the tool’s limitations tempered expectations.

The study highlights that these generational attitudes are shaped by both experience and context. While students acknowledge ChatGPT’s benefits for personalized guidance and task completion, they remain cautious about overreliance on AI for deeper learning or motivational support.

Usage patterns reveal practical strengths and gaps

ChatGPT’s strongest perceived value lies in practical, task-oriented support, such as helping students structure assignments, summarize information, and provide clear, step-by-step explanations. This reflects a growing alignment between the platform’s capabilities and students’ immediate academic needs.

However, the research also uncovers a gap between current and potential usefulness, with many students believing the technology’s future improvements could significantly enhance its educational contributions. This gap is particularly visible in the perception of ChatGPT as a teacher. While students value its ability to provide explanations, they still prioritize human-led instruction for nuanced guidance, critical thinking development, and interactive learning.

The study further identifies that experience influences perceptions. Students who have actively experimented with the tool tend to have more grounded, sometimes less optimistic views compared to those with little or no direct experience. This suggests that early exposure helps students better understand both the strengths and limitations of AI-based tools.

These patterns reveal an important challenge for universities: bridging the expectation gap by integrating ChatGPT into teaching processes in ways that enhance, rather than replace, human instruction, while ensuring that students are equipped with the skills to use the tool responsibly and effectively.

Implications for educators, policy, and future AI integration

In addition to documenting attitudes, the study offers crucial guidance for educators and policymakers seeking to shape AI’s role in education. The authors stress the importance of AI literacy, urging institutions to help students develop the ability to critically evaluate outputs, verify information, and use AI ethically. This approach can help prevent risks such as plagiarism, misinformation, and overreliance on algorithmic responses.

For teachers, the findings highlight the need to focus on leveraging ChatGPT for process-oriented support, such as offering formative feedback, improving writing quality, and simplifying complex concepts. This allows educators to integrate AI in ways that complement rather than undermine their role, preserving the human element essential to critical thinking and creativity in learning.

At the institutional level, the study calls for clear policies and safeguards to regulate the integration of AI tools in academic environments. Universities are urged to establish guidelines that promote responsible use, support equitable access, and address ethical and privacy concerns, particularly given the evolving capabilities of generative AI systems.

The research also highlights a broader societal consideration: ensuring that students are not only consumers of AI tools but also active participants in shaping how these technologies are developed and applied in education. By fostering digital competencies and critical thinking, institutions can prepare the next generation to use AI as an enabler of deeper learning and innovation.