Exploring Gen AI Perception & Usage Patterns in Gen Z Undergraduate Students

Abstract The concept of Generative AI existed well before the commercial invention of the first computer technologies; however, it has only recently become a widely-used term to the point of securing a substantial role in most educational and working environments. For Generation Z students, Generative AI tools are now equivalent to most learning-assistance tools like libraries and online research. Like any technology, Gen AI has its upsides and downsides in academic task implementation. With student sentiments constantly evolving, it is essential to understand and analyse the depth of Gen AI’s influence on higher education students, therefore, this study is applied to primarily determine Generative AI’s significance for Gen Z undergraduate students along with establishing a correlation between students’ Gen AI usage frequency and its perceived academic utility, as well as determining students’ preferred Gen AI tools and their preference for using free or paid versions. The findings – conducted through an online survey of 138 respondents – contribute to assessing institutional policies and developer priorities to strategically integrate and employ effective rather than excessive and detrimental use of Generative AI tools in academic settings.