Marvin OnumonuStudents are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to help with their studies, but many are worried about what it means for jobs and society, research from Yugo found.
Just under half (44%) of UK students said they were excited by AI, pointing to benefits in health, education and climate change.
At the same time, 78% were worried it would lead to job losses, echoing concerns felt by students in the USA (79%), Ireland (78%) and Portugal (75%).
In the UK, 43% of students said they used AI to proof their academic work and help with grammar, 31% used it to simplify difficult information, and another 21% used AI to help write CVs.
When asked about the benefits, 54% of UK students said AI could boost productivity.
55% said it would improve work-life balance, with mature students (63%) most likely to see this as a plus.
Over half (57%) said AI would drive advances in healthcare research and technology, with 22% expecting better access to mental health services.
Data research showed 43% of UK students used AI for their own wellbeing, compared to 52% globally.
Women were especially interested in the healthcare side of AI, with 59% saying it was a key benefit.
60% of UK students worried about less human-to-human interaction and 59% about its effect on human intelligence, both slightly higher than the global average.
Female students were the most concerned, with 65% mentioning loss of interaction and 60% a decline in intelligence.
Dario Labrador Alonso, a computer science undergraduate at the University of Newcastle, said: “The productivity gains I’ve made through AI have enabled me to find a work/life balance at university that I never would’ve thought possible.
“While I don’t believe that human intelligence can easily be replaced, as a computer science student I’m concerned about the impact it will have on my career – AI is not just delivering on simple jobs, it’s doing intermediate and even advanced level tasks highly effectively.”
Cyber security and political threats were also a worry. 56% feared more cyber attacks and 50% were concerned about AI being used for political purposes. 49% said fake news was a concern.
Sunjaya Phillips, a marketing communications management student at Oxford Brookes University, said: “AI undoubtedly provides unparalleled opportunity for society – our health services are under enormous strain and just three years ago students simply wouldn’t have had anything like the mental health and counselling help afforded by AI.
“This technology is democratising access to key mental health services.”
Joe Persechino, chief operating officer at Yugo, said: “At Yugo, we’re always striving to understand the mindset and aspirations of students living in our spaces.
“This research is groundbreaking in both its size and geographical reach and paints a compelling picture.
“It reveals much excitement about the potential of AI, particularly in education, healthcare and technology. But there is clear concern about its threat to students’ job prospects.”
Persechino added: “As a globally leading brand and operator of student accommodation in the UK and the largest provider in Europe, our priority is to support students with the skills to flourish in their future careers and life beyond university.
“That’s why our Live Your Best Life (LYBL) programme provides workshops and training to enhance students’ lives both during and after university.”
