Task-oriented and relational perceptions of ChatGPT among generation Z students: Implications for higher education and preparation for AI-enabled work

Generative AI is becoming embedded in higher education and knowledge work, yet students may assign different forms of usefulness to conversational AI. This study examines how Generation Z students perceive the current and potential usefulness of ChatGPT across seven functional roles. Data were collected from April to June 2024 through an online survey of 409 students from different disciplines at multiple Polish higher education institutions using a geographically diversified, non-probability convenience sampling strategy. Medians, quartiles, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to analyse ordinal responses. Task-oriented roles, particularly information search and idea generation, were rated more highly than relational roles, while all roles received higher ratings for potential than for current usefulness. By integrating multiple roles within task-oriented and relational dimensions, the study extends role-based understanding of student-AI interaction. The findings suggest implications for AI literacy and responsible human-AI collaboration in higher education, while remaining limited to students’ perceptions.