The rapid adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools is transforming learning practices in higher education, raising important questions about their educational value and impact on student learning. This study examines how university students use GenAI tools in both academic and everyday contexts, with emphasis on usage patterns, applications and motivations. A large-scale voluntary survey was conducted with 788 undergraduate students from a single public university in Greece, with respondents drawn from multiple schools and disciplines. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods to explore frequency of use, application categories and motivations for engagement with GenAI tools. The results indicate a high level of reported GenAI engagement among the participants, with ChatGPT emerging as the most frequently used tool. Students primarily rely on GenAI tools for information searching, understanding academic content and supporting academic tasks, while creative and entertainment-related uses are less frequent. Overall, the findings suggest that students perceive GenAI tools as useful for learning support and efficiency improvement. The results indicate that GenAI tools are becoming integrated into students’ reported learning practices. They also highlight the need for clear pedagogical guidelines and systematic AI literacy integration in teaching and learning.
Chatzopoulos et al. (Fri,) studied this question.