STUDY: 48% of Students Admit Using AI in Violation of School Policies, but Don’t See It as Wrong
Copyleaks released Part 2 of its 2025 AI in Education Trends Report, revealing insights into how students engage with AI amid ethical and academic concerns. The survey, conducted among over 1,000 U.S. students, highlights AI's growing role in learning and challenges around its use.
Widespread Use of AI in Academics
Part 1 of the report showed that AI is now embedded in education:
- 90% of students use AI tools for academic purposes.
- 29% of students use AI daily for tasks ranging from brainstorming to summarizing.
This rapid adoption emphasizes the importance of clear guidelines for ethical and responsible AI use in schools.
Conflicts Around Ethics and Ownership
Despite some schools permitting specific AI tools, students’ perceptions about acceptable use vary significantly:
- 48% of students admit to using AI in ways that break school rules, yet do not view their actions as wrong.
- 43% say their final academic work combines both human and AI contributions, blurring the lines of authorship.
"AI has become a normalized and growing part of the student learning experience, raising critical questions about ethics, ownership, and academic integrity." — Copyleaks 2025 AI in Education Trends Report
This report demonstrates the urgent need for schools to address the ethical challenges of AI use in education to ensure integrity while embracing technological advances.
Author's summary: Nearly half of students use AI against school policies yet don't see it as wrong, underscoring the need for clearer ethical guidance on AI in education.