Key points:
- Gender gaps in AI confidence, exposure, and usage could exacerbate broader disparities in career opportunities
- Why agentic AI matters now more than ever
- Community college students have mixed feelings about AI
- For more news on AI in higher ed, visit eCN’s AI in Education hub
As AI takes a larger role in higher education, particularly in online education, it is often suggested as a way to close equity gaps, help connect students to academic support, and personalize instruction.
Because online universities are digital-first learning environments, they are well positioned to be early adopters of emerging technologies, with both students and instructors likely to engage with and incorporate these tools into their teaching and learning.
However, these institutions also serve a disproportionately high number of students from under-resourced and historically marginalized communities–groups that have traditionally faced limited access to technology. This creates a dynamic tension within online education, making it a compelling setting to explore how AI technologies are used, understood, and expected to shape postsecondary learning.
WGU Labs surveyed more than 4,500 students enrolled at Western Governors University (WGU) to understand how students view, use, and experience AI in their learning journey. The findings provide a detailed view into students’ aspirations, concerns, and expectations surrounding this fast-moving technology.
As enrollment in online programs continues to grow–especially among students who have historically faced barriers to attending in-person institutions–it becomes increasingly important to examine how these learners perceive and interact with AI in their educational experiences.
Key findings:
1. Women are 12 percent less confident in their ability to use AI tools than men. Across the student population, AI awareness and usage were high, but notable gender disparities emerged in students’ awareness of and self-reported confidence with these tools.
2. Fifty-nine percent of students expressed positive attitudes toward the use of AI in education, and more than 60 percent said they were comfortable with AI using their data to personalize learning experiences. Overall, students viewed AI in education favorably: When asked about its role in higher education, 59 percent responded positively, 24 percent were neutral, and just 17 percent reported negative views
3. While 58 percent of students are comfortable receiving AI-generated feedback and 66 percent are open to real-time feedback during exams or assignments, only 35 percent trust AI to grade their work. Overall, students are generally receptive to AI as a feedback tool, but their comfort drops significantly when AI is used for evaluative purposes.
4. Only about one-third of students support the use of AI for social or emotional support. Just 32 percent saw AI as beneficial for emotional or mental health guidance, and only 35 percent valued AI tutors or coaches.
5.Transparency in AI-supported learning is a top priority for students, with 92 percent stating it’s important to know when they are interacting with AI. Additionally, 84 percent want the option to opt out of AI-driven experiences, 83 percent believe access to a human is essential, and 79 percent want clear disclosure when content is AI-generated.
The report also outlines strategies to help design effective, student-centered AI-powered learning experiences:
1. Rapidly expand AI training and support to close gender-based confidence gaps
2. Prioritize high-value personalization that aligns with student goals
3. Build student trust in AI-supported assessment by highlighting its potential for fairness
4. Use AI to enhance student access to support services
5. Communicate clearly and consistently about AI use to build student trust
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