Generative AI Use among College Students in South Korea
Usage, Perception, and Institutional Support
Abstract
This poster reports preliminary analysis of an online survey of 191 college students in South Korea examining their use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tools, perceived benefits, and institutional supports. Participants mainly used Gen AI for various purposes in academic/work-related contexts, such as Assignments/Writing Reports, where most participants perceived the benefits. However, participants also used Gen AI in everyday life/non-work contexts, notably for areas such as travel planning, entertainment recommendation information, and mental health improvement methods. Only 33.5% of participants received support for using Gen AI from universities/university libraries, which suggests opportunities to help students learn how to use Gen AI effectively and responsibly. This research contributes an empirical study of user behaviors around Gen AI use in rapidly changing sociotechnical environments, for academic/work-related and everyday life/non-work contexts, calling for more institutional support and human-centered research for equitable access to and effective use of Gen AI for college students.
Keywords
Research Questions
Methods
To answer the research questions, we developed an online survey drawing on previous studies of college students' perception and use of Gen AI. Also, in light of the evolving contexts of everyday life information seeking and technology use, we included both academic/work-related contexts and everyday life/non-work contexts when examining college students' Gen AI use. The survey was administered with college students in South Korea in Fall 2024, examining participants' Gen AI use purposes, experience, and perceived benefits. The survey also inquired about institutional supports that participants received, Gen AI learning methods, and participant demographics.
Data Visualizations
Usage Frequency (N=191)
63.3% use occasionally, 14.2% regularly, 10.5% never used.
Experience Length
76.4% have 3+ months experience, 38.7% have 1+ year.
Popular AI Tools
ChatGPT dominates (89%), video/image AI (35.6%).
Academic vs Everyday Usage
Academic usage (89.5%) outpaces everyday use (45.2%).
Academic Use Cases
Topic development leads (62.3%), explanations (35.1%), learning (34.0%).
Everyday Use Cases
Content creation (19.4%), travel planning (17.3%), mental health (11.0%).
Perceived Benefits (5-Point Scale)
Academic benefits higher (3.3-3.5/5) than everyday tasks (2.7-2.8/5).
Institutional Support
Only 33.5% received support - significant educational gap.
Learning Methods
Self-learning dominates (80.1%), college classes (29.8%).
Key Findings
Participant Overview
- 191 undergraduate students from multiple universities (ages 19-29; Mean=20.7)
- 89.5% had used generative AI tools at least once
- 76.4% had used Gen AI for 3 months or more
- ChatGPT was the most commonly used tool (89%)
Academic/Work-Related Use
Assignments/Writing Reports (Most Common)
- Topic development/brainstorming (62.3%)
- Learning new concepts/knowledge (34.0%)
- Summarizing articles (26.7%)
- Refining expression/grammar/style (23.0%)
Other Academic Uses
- Study/Exam Preparation (getting additional explanation: 35.1%)
- Presentations/Projects (content development: 25.7%)
- Programming/coding (18.8%)
Everyday Life/Non-Work Use
- Content Planning/Creation - Refining content/improving sentences (19.4%)
- Travel/Event - Travel planning (17.3%)
- Entertainment/Hobbies - Entertainment recommendations (15.2%)
- Mental Health - Stress-relief and mental health improvement (11.0%)
Institutional Support Gap
Only 33.5% of participants received support for using Gen AI from universities/libraries
- 27.2% received training/instruction sessions/workshops
- 13.6% received online resources/guides
- 80.1% relied on self-learning through experience
Discussion and Implications
Key Insights
- Widespread adoption of Gen AI tools among Korean college students
- Significant use in both academic and everyday life contexts
- Notable use for mental health and well-being purposes
- Limited institutional support creates learning gaps
Recommendations
Enhanced institutional support through universities and libraries' online resources and classes could foster more equitable access to and successful use of Gen AI in students' academic and everyday life contexts. This includes addressing concerns about information accuracy and ethical use.
Publication Information
Presented at: 88th Annual Meeting of the Association for Information Science & Technology
Date: November 14-18, 2025
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Format: Poster Presentation