# Student Generative Artificial Intelligence Survey 2026 **Author:** Rose Stephenson and Charlotte Armstrong **Published:** 12 March 2026 **Length:** 5 mins (1,135 words, webpage summary); full report: 52 pages ## In Summary HEPI's survey of 1,054 UK undergraduates finds generative AI use is almost universal: 95% use AI in some form and 94% use it to help with assessed work. Yet only 48% feel teaching staff are helping them develop AI skills for their careers, despite 68% considering these skills essential. Experiences vary between improved understanding and concerns about dependency, fairness and wellbeing. The report recommends discipline-specific AI education, clearer assessment guidance, equitable access to tools and better staff development. **Source:** [https://www.hepi.ac.uk/reports/student-generative-ai-survey-2026/](https://www.hepi.ac.uk/reports/student-generative-ai-survey-2026/) ## What might this mean for us? For Higher Education, the challenge is shifting from whether students use AI to how it shapes learning. How can institutions develop critical AI literacy without undermining disciplinary expertise or widening inequalities? Our curriculum and assessment trials offer opportunities to test how collective academic judgement, clearer guidance and purposeful technological support might improve students' learning experiences. ## Links in this reading - [Full HEPI report (PDF)](https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/HEPI-Report-199-Gen-AI-Survey-2026.pdf) - [2026 survey weighted tables (XLSX)](https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Third-version-of-2026-data-weighted-WOW-tables.xlsx) - [2026 survey weighted data (XLSX)](https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Third-version-of-2026-weighted-data.xlsx) - [UK Government AI Opportunities Action Plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-opportunities-action-plan/ai-opportunities-action-plan)