Study finds 92% students using generative AI in UK, universities warned to ‘stress test’ assignments

Universities across the UK have been asked to run all student assessments through a “stress test” after new research revealed that pupils have been using artificial intelligence in their studies.

There has been an “exponential increase” in the prevalence of generative AI among students in Britain in the past 12 months, a report published by the Higher Education Policy Institute and Kortext says.

Almost nine out of 10 students (88 per cent) in the UK have reported using AI in the past year and most of them said they use ChatGPT to help with their assignments. The report also revealed that there has been a rise in the proportion of students using AI from 66 per cent in 2024 to 92 per cent in 2025.

What’s a stress test?

In the context of higher education, universities “stress-test” their assessment methods to ensure they remain effective and fair, especially in response to emerging challenges.

With the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) tools by students, institutions are advised to review and adapt their evaluation strategies.

The tests are often designed to evaluate a pupil’s ability to perform under complex situations involving factors like time constraints or unfamiliar environments.

‘AI is here to stay’

Josh Freeman, the author of the report, noted that such significant shifts in behaviour within a single year were highly unusual. He warned, “Universities should take heed: generative AI is here to stay.”

“There are urgent lessons here for institutions. Every assessment must be reviewed in case it can be completed easily using AI. That will require bold retraining initiatives for staff in the power and potential of generative AI,” Freeman said.

He added, “Institutions will not solve any of these problems alone and should seek to share best practice with each other. Ultimately, AI tools should be harnessed to advance learning rather than inhibit it.”

Why do students use AI?

Students say that genAI helps them understand concepts, summarise articles and suggest a pool of research ideas.

“When asked why they use AI, students most often find it saves them time (51%) and improves the quality of their work (50 per cent). The main factors putting them off using AI are the risk of being accused of academic misconduct and the fear of getting false or biased results,” the report said.

“I enjoy working with AI as it makes life easier when doing assignments; however, I do get scared I’ll get caught,” a student told one of the researchers.