Americans say colleges should teach students how to use artificial intelligence, but they are less comfortable with schools using it in admissions or tutoring, according to a Quinnipiac University poll.
The survey found 74% of Americans say it is important for college and university students to learn how to use AI. But support drops when the technology moves from the classroom to decision-making: 59% oppose colleges using AI tools to screen new student applications, and 52% oppose schools using AI to tutor students.
Americans also are divided over whether students are using AI to learn or to dodge the work. Overall, 47% say college students are more likely to use AI to help them avoid learning, while 42% say they are more likely to use it to help them learn.
Younger adults are the most skeptical. Among those ages 18 to 34, 58% say students are more likely to use AI to avoid learning, while just 35% say it helps them learn.
"Who is most skeptical about the merits of having AI provide a learning assist? By age, the generation most likely to be familiar with the workings of AI in the classroom," Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said.
The poll comes as colleges face continued pressure over rising tuition, student debt and growing public scrutiny over the value of a degree.
Even so, most Americans who earned at least an associate degree say college was worth it. Among those respondents, 78% said getting their degree was worth it, while 20% said it was not.
Among degree holders who said college was worth it, 67% cited better career paths or job opportunities as a major reason, 65% pointed to the quality of their education and 61% cited higher earnings as a major factor. Among those who said college was not worth it, 58% said the cost was a major reason.
The survey found 58% of Americans say colleges and universities are doing an excellent or good job educating students, while 36% give them negative marks. Another 66% say a college degree is either a major benefit or at least some benefit to graduates.
Americans were less enthusiastic about a three-year "applied bachelor’s" degree. Thirty-six percent said it would be a better choice than a traditional four-year degree, 42% said it would be about the same and 13% said it would be worse.
On student loans, 44% said the federal government should provide more money, while 29% said funding should stay the same and 18% said it should be reduced.
The poll was conducted April 9-13 among 1,210 U.S. adults. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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