EDITORS' CORNER
Most students taking tests ‘without knowing whether AI is permitted’
Almost 90 percent of students use artificial intelligence in their learning, and 77 percent of faculty use AI to help them teach, according to a new report from the Digital Education Council.
The Digital Education Council AI in Higher Education Global Survey 2026 draws “on more than 45,000 responses from students and faculty across 35 countries,” according to the report.
“The picture it reveals should give leaders pause. AI has moved into the mainstream of student and faculty life faster than institutions have been able to respond to it. Adoption is now widespread, but coherent practice is not,” it states.
Regarding assessments, 57 percent of students said they do not have adequate guidance on AI use. And 73 percent of students in the U.S. and Canada are worried AI will give some students an unfair advantage.
“Most students are navigating at least some assessments without knowing whether AI is permitted,” the report states.
On the faculty side, 64 percent “have participated in AI literacy training.”
Further, students report seeing benefits from using AI. More than 60 percent say the technology allows them to outsource repetitive tasks and “focus more on thinking through ideas.” Almost one-third are “attempting more challenging work than before,” the report states.
However, students also report signs of over-reliance, as 22 percent say working without AI is now harder than it was before.
Additionally, less than 30 percent of students believe their “assessments reflect the work, skills, and judgement they expect to need in an AI-enabled workplace.”
“The remaining 72% do not see this alignment consistently across their assessments,” the report states.
These findings align with earlier research.
Earlier this year, another survey found that ninety-five percent of faculty are concerned that students will become overly reliant on tools like ChatGPT, The College Fix reported.
The American Association of Colleges and Universities and Elon University surveyed 1,057 faculty members at U.S. institutions.
“Large majorities warn that these tools will lead to student overreliance on AI, weaken their critical thinking, shorten their attention spans, and erode academic integrity and the value of college diplomas – concerns they say strike at the heart of higher education’s mission,” a summary of the report states.
Meanwhile, demand for AI talent continues to grow.
Syracuse University will launch bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in Artificial Intelligence Science this fall.
The university stated in a news release that “U.S. job postings requiring AI skills grew 144 percent year over year as of April 2026, compared to 7 percent growth for all job postings combined.”
