AI IN HIGHER EDUCATION: ACADEMIC SUPPORT OR ETHICAL DILEMMA? ANALYZING STUDENT USE OF GPT MODELS DURING EXAMS

With the increasing integration of artificial intelligence tools, such as GPT models, in higher education, their impact on learning processes and academic integrity has become a subject of growing research interest. This article presents a qualitative analysis of students’ responses to open-ended questions from a broader survey on the use of GPT models specifically during exams, focusing on their declarations regarding AI use and the ways in which they utilized these tools in exam settings. The findings reveal that while some students perceive AI as a learning aid that reduces stress, others exploit it to bypass traditional assessment methods, particularly in subjects they deem less valuable. The analysis underscores the ethically ambiguous role of AI in education, highlighting the need to adapt evaluation strategies, and address the challenges posed by the growing presence of AI (not only) in academia. Future research should focus on disciplinary differences, institutional policies, and the long-term cognitive effects of AI use by students.