41,3% Use ChatGPT to Write Essays: StudyAgent Research Shows
41,3% Use ChatGPT to Write Essays: StudyAgent Research Shows
StudyAgent’s 2025 survey reveals how students are using AI in education. The findings highlight popular AI tools, skill gaps, and challenges faced while integrating technology into academic study routines.
Nov 18, 2025
Research
6 min read
Table of contents
TL;DR
- Around 41% of students use ChatGPT for essay writing.
- 84% depend on Grammarly for grammar checks, and 48% use QuillBot for paraphrasing.
- At the same time, 30% feel unsure about their AI skills.
- 53% face issues like hallucinations or incorrect answers.
- Still, 74% say they improve through trial and error, learning as they go.
Artificial intelligence is now part of daily study routines. Students use it to write essays, fix grammar, and solve difficult problems. What began as curiosity has become a habit. Over the past year, more learners have added ChatGPT, Copilot, Grammarly, and QuillBot to their regular tools for studying at home and in class.
To measure this change, StudyAgent ran a survey through Prolific. A total of 2,083 students took part using mobile, tablet, and desktop devices. The results reveal clear patterns in how students use AI in education.
Around 41.3% of students rely on ChatGPT for essay writing, while roughly 32.0% turn to Copilot for math tasks and 33.3% prefer Claude for coding help. When it comes to editing and polishing their work, 84.0% of students use Grammarly for grammar checks, and nearly 48.1% depend on QuillBot for paraphrasing.
In the upcoming sections, we'll take a closer look at these results to see how learning is changing and what this shift means for both students and educators.
Methodology
The StudyAgent survey took place on October 6, 2025, with 2,083 students from the United States who actively use AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Character.AI. Participants were chosen through random sampling to reflect a balanced picture of AI use in education.
Data was collected through an online questionnaire on the Prolific platform. Students completed it using mobile, tablet, and desktop devices. The results have a ±5 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level, excluding a few technical questions (Q8.1, Q8.2, Q8.3, Q8.5, Q18, Q19, Q20, Q22, Q23, Q24, and Q26).
This approach provided reliable data and a clear view of how students use AI tools for writing, studying, and solving academic tasks.
Main Findings from the Study
After analyzing the survey responses, several clear trends emerged in how students use and experience AI in their studies. The sections below explore these findings in more detail.
How Students Use AI Tools: 41% Rely on ChatGPT for Essays
The survey shows that 41.3% of students use ChatGPT mainly for essays and papers. They rely on it to build ideas, outline arguments, and refine drafts. Many also use it for summarizing texts (27.7%), creating outlines (26.9%), and checking grammar (22.7%). ChatGPT now supports every stage of the writing process, from the first draft to the final edit.
Other tools have more focused roles. Grammarly leads grammar and proofreading tasks, used by 84% of students. QuillBot follows with 48.1%, mostly for paraphrasing or rewording text. Gemini acts as a research helper, supporting essay writing (21.4%), math tasks (19%), and fact-checking (16.7%).
For technical work, preferences change. Copilot is most used for math problems (32%). Claude leads for coding and debugging (33.3%). Each tool fills a clear need. ChatGPT for writing. Grammarly for checking. QuillBot for rewriting. Copilot and Claude for solving and coding.
The data shows a clear pattern. Students no longer experiment with AI tools. They use them daily to save time, improve accuracy, and strengthen their academic work. ChatGPT stands at the center of this shift.
AI Knowledge Gap: 30% of Students Lack Key Skills
Even though AI tools are now part of daily study habits, many students still feel unsure about using them. The StudyAgent survey found that about 30% of respondents lack the knowledge and skills to use AI effectively in their studies.
This shows progress compared to a 2024 external study, where 58% of students said they were not ready to work with AI. The change suggests growing familiarity through regular use in classes and academic work.
The skill gap still exists. Students in Computer Science and Business and Management show higher confidence, averaging 4.1 out of 5. Those in Nursing and Social Sciences rate themselves lower, at 3.6% and 3.7%.
The results show improvement but also the need for stronger AI literacy programs. As schools continue to adopt digital tools, students will need better support to use them responsibly and effectively.
Common AI Challenges in Learning: 53% Report Hallucination Issues
It might be true that AI tools make studying easier but they also create challenges. The most common issue is AI hallucination, when a tool gives false or invented information. About 53% of students report this problem, which forces them to verify facts before using them in their work.
Another issue is limited subject knowledge. Around 33% of students say AI tools struggle with specialized topics such as nursing or engineering.
Writing good prompts is also difficult. About 28% of students find it hard to give clear instructions, which lowers the quality of AI responses and wastes time.
These findings show the need for strong critical thinking. You must check facts, write precise prompts, and review information before adding it to your assignments.
How Students Build AI Skills: 74% Learn Through Trial and Error
When it comes to improving AI skills, most students prefer learning by doing. The StudyAgent survey shows that 74% of respondents develop their AI abilities through personal trial and error, experimenting with tools to understand how they work best for studying and writing.
Students also look for help online. About 31% use forums and communities like Reddit or Discord. Around 27% watch short video tutorials on YouTube or TikTok. Another 25% learn from classmates or friends, showing that peer advice still matters.
The data shows that students build AI skills through practice, not formal lessons. This hands-on approach helps them gain confidence and use AI tools more effectively in their studies.
Overall, the findings show that AI tools are now a regular part of studying. The most commonly used tools include:
- ChatGPT for essay writing and idea generation
- Grammarly and QuillBot for grammar checks and paraphrasing
- Copilot and Claude for math, coding, and problem-solving
Yet, this growing use also presents new challenges. Over 53% of students face AI hallucinations, 33% report limited subject knowledge, and 28% struggle to write clear prompts. Despite this, learners are adapting fast — 74% build skills through trial and error, supported by online communities (31%), short tutorials (27%), and peer advice (25%).
Together, these numbers paint a hopeful picture. Students are no longer just using AI tools; rather they’re learning to think critically alongside them, blending human judgment with digital support.
“AI is becoming a silent study partner for most students, but not everyone knows how to guide it well yet. The real progress starts when students stop taking AI’s answers at face value and start treating it like a tool that needs direction, not a replacement for their own thinking.” - Kateryna Bykova, VP of Content Marketing at StudyAgent.
Sources:
- This research is based on an internal survey of the StudyAgent team, which collaborated with 2,083 students.
- Global Student Survey. (n.d.). https://8dfb1bf9-2f43-45af-abce-2877b9157e2c.usrfiles.com/ugd/8dfb1b_2d132a015d2a405893643b746d1bdf56.pdf
- Digital Education Council. (2024). Digital Education Council Global AI Student Survey 2024 (Report). https://26556596.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/26556596/Digital%20Education%20Council%20Global%20AI%20Student%20Survey%202024.pdf
