Study Reveals What Drives University Students to Keep Using ChatGPT
ELTE's Faculty of Informatics conducted a study using an interpretable machine learning framework to uncover why university students might continue to use ChatGPT. The research, led by Chaman Verma and part of the University Excellence Scholarship Program (EKÖP‑24), surveyed 166 students across the campus. Results highlighted five core drivers—learning support, accessibility, academic…
Key points
- 166 students surveyed at ELTE revealed learning support, accessibility, engagement, usability, and reliability drive ChatGPT use.
- Trust in accuracy and academic integrity concerns also shape students’ willingness to continue using generative AI.
- Findings guide educators and policymakers to design policies that balance usefulness with ethical safeguards for AI in higher education.
The study’s findings suggest that students are more likely to integrate ChatGPT into their coursework when they see it as genuinely useful for understanding complex concepts and completing assignments. However, they also weigh the reliability of responses and the potential for misuse in an academic setting. By mapping these motivations, the research offers evidence‑based guidance for educators, institutions, and policymakers aiming to foster responsible AI adoption in higher education.
Ultimately, the work underscores that the success of generative AI in learning environments hinges on both functional benefits and ethical safeguards, informing how universities can design policies and support systems that encourage productive, trustworthy use of tools like ChatGPT.
ChatGPT at university: Study maps why students stick with AI for learning
phys.org · 16 September 2026
ChatGPT at university: Study maps why students stick with AI for learning
What factors influence students' decisions about whether they will continue to use ChatGPT for learning in the future? This was the question addressed by a new study from ELTE's Faculty of Informatics, which used an interpretable machine learning framework to identify the factors that most strongly influence the use of generative artificial intelligence in higher education.
A study published in the journal Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence examined the factors that influence students' intention to continue using ChatGPT for academic purposes in the future.
The research was conducted by Chaman Verma, a member of the Department of Media and Educational Informatics at the Faculty of Informatics, Eötvös Loránd University, as part of the University Excellence Scholarship Program (EKÖP-24).
What really matters when it comes to using ChatGPT?
The study analyzed questionnaire responses from 166 university students. Using interpretable machine learning methods, the researcher examined which factors play a decisive role in students' intention to continue using ChatGPT in their learning. The results show that key factors include learning support, accessibility, academic engagement, usability and the perceived reliability of the tool.
In other words, students are more likely to incorporate ChatGPT into their learning processes if they perceive it as genuinely useful—an instrument that helps them understand complex concepts, supports them in completing assignments and contributes to more effective learning.
Beyond usefulness, trust is also key
At the same time, the research highlights that the accuracy of responses, the reliability of the tool and academic integrity remain key issues in the use of generative artificial intelligence in higher education. Students' attitudes toward ChatGPT are influenced not only by how effectively the tool can support their learning, but also by how reliable they perceive it to be and how they view the possibilities for using it responsibly in an academic environment.
The study contributes new findings to research on the use of artificial intelligence in education and offers useful, evidence-based insights for educators, higher education institutions and policymakers. The findings may help ensure that generative artificial intelligence tools can responsibly, consciously and effectively support teaching and learning in higher education in the future.
More information
Chaman Verma et al, An exploratory machine learning approach to understanding determinants of future ChatGPT use in higher education, Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.caeai.2026.100613
Citation: ChatGPT at university: Study maps why students stick with AI for learning (2026, September 16) retrieved 16 September 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-09-chatgpt-university-students-ai.html
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