Almost 80% of Australian university students now use AI. This creates an “illusion of competence”

In Australia, artificial intelligence is becoming a near-universal part of education.

By 2025, almost 80% of university students reported using AI in their studies. Reports abroad are even higher. This year, a survey of students in the UK found that 94% used them to help with exams.

This has led to widespread concerns that students are using AI to cheat on their papers and exams. But in a new report with colleague Leslie Loble, we argue there is a far greater risk.

There is increasing evidence that the use of AI can negate the effort needed for sustained, deep learning. This so-called “cognitive offloading” from humans to AI is particularly risky for younger students as they are still developing their basic knowledge and skills.

The “performance paradox”

Our report highlights a phenomenon known as the “performance paradox.” Here, the short-term performance of students when completing tasks could be improved by AI. But their long-term learning…