UK universities warned to 'stress-test' assessments as 92% of students use AI

British universities have been warned to "stress-test" all assessments after new research revealed "almost all" undergraduates are using generative artificial intelligence (genAI) in their studies. A survey of 1,000 students – both domestic and international – found there had been an "explosive increase" in the use of genAI in the past 12 months. Almost nine out of 10 (88%) in the 2025 poll said they used tools such as ChatGPT for their assessments, up from 53% last year. The proportion using any AI tool surged from 66% in 2024 to 92% in 2025, meaning just 8% of students are not using AI, according to a report published by the Higher Education Policy Institute and Kortext, a digital etextbook provider. Josh Freeman, the report's author, said such dramatic changes in behaviour in just 12 months were almost unheard of, and warned: "Universities should take heed: generative AI is here to stay. "There are urgent lessons here for institutions," Freeman said. "Every assessment must be reviewed in case it can be completed easily using AI.