Impact of ChatGPT on Students’ Learning vs Academic Assistance

Abstract

This study investigates the growing influence of ChatGPT—an AI language model—on student behavior in Indian higher education. With widespread adoption among students, ChatGPT is used for both conceptual learning and academic task completion. The research explores whether this AI tool contributes to deeper understanding or is largely utilized for administrative convenience. A survey of 120 university students was conducted using structured questionnaires, and data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and t-tests. Findings show a predominant use of ChatGPT for assignment completion and information retrieval, while only a small fraction of students associate it with deep learning. Ethical concerns, over-reliance, and regulation needs were also identified. The study suggests strategic implementation of AI with blended learning and ethical usage policies.