88% of University Students Now Use AI as Campuses Adapt

JAKARTA – Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday university life, with 88% of students now using AI in their learning, according to a new global survey that highlights a growing gap between student adoption and institutional readiness.

The finding comes from the AI in Higher Education Global Survey 2026 by the Digital Education Council (DEC), which collected 45,398 responses from students and faculty across 118 institutions in 35 countries. The survey provides one of the broadest global snapshots of how AI is reshaping higher education.

While students are rapidly adopting AI tools, universities are still working to establish effective policies, assessment systems and teaching practices.

Only 29% of students believe their instructors are equipped to guide them on AI use. At the same time, 64% of faculty members say they have completed AI literacy training, suggesting a significant gap between institutional training and students' confidence in their instructors.

Assessment is another major challenge.

Some 57% of students say they receive inadequate guidance on AI in assessments. Meanwhile, only 15% say AI is integrated into many of their courses. Another 43% report that AI appears in only a few courses, while an equal 43% say they have experienced no AI integration in their courses.

The rapid adoption is also raising concerns about how students learn.

Around 66% of students worry that AI could make learning too shallow and discourage critical thinking and creativity. That figure rises to 81% among students in the United States and Canada.

The issue facing universities is therefore no longer whether students will use AI. They already are.

Instead, universities must determine how AI can be incorporated without weakening independent thinking, academic integrity and essential learning skills.

That means redesigning assessments, strengthening AI literacy, training faculty and establishing clearer rules for responsible AI use.

The shift is already underway. Students have moved quickly into the AI era. Universities now have to catch up.