![[2602.17720] "Everyone's using it, but no one is allowed to talk about it": College Students' Experiences Navigating the Higher Education Environment in a Generative AI World](https://arxiv.org/static/browse/0.3.4/images/arxiv-logo-fb.png){kind=logo}
[2602.17720] "Everyone's using it, but no one is allowed to talk about it": College Students' Experiences Navigating the Higher Education Environment in a Generative AI World
Summary
This article explores college students' experiences with generative AI in higher education, highlighting the pressures and social dynamics that influence their use of AI tools.
Why It Matters
As generative AI becomes increasingly integrated into academic environments, understanding students' experiences and institutional responses is crucial for developing effective policies and support systems. This research sheds light on the disconnect between student behavior and institutional guidelines, emphasizing the need for adaptive strategies in education.
Key Takeaways
- Students often use generative AI despite feeling it undermines their learning due to institutional pressures.
- Peer micro-communities create informal norms around AI use, often in conflict with official policies.
- There is a prevalent culture of 'AI shame' that drives students to use AI tools discreetly.
- Current institutional AI policies are viewed as inconsistent and confusing, leading to noncompliance.
- Students develop self-regulation strategies, but environmental pressures create a gap between intentions and actions.
Computer Science > Computers and Society arXiv:2602.17720 (cs) [Submitted on 17 Feb 2026] Title:"Everyone's using it, but no one is allowed to talk about it": College Students' Experiences Navigating the Higher Education Environment in a Generative AI World Authors:Yue Fu, Yifan Lin, Yessica Wang, Sarah Tran, Alexis Hiniker View a PDF of the paper titled "Everyone's using it, but no one is allowed to talk about it": College Students' Experiences Navigating the Higher Education Environment in a Generative AI World, by Yue Fu and 4 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:Higher education students are increasingly using generative AI in their academic work. However, existing institutional practices have not yet adapted to this shift. Through semi-structured interviews with 23 college students, our study examines the environmental and social factors that influence students' use of AI. Findings show that institutional pressure factors like deadlines, exam cycles, and grading lead students to engage with AI even when they think it undermines their learning. Social influences, particularly peer micro-communities, establish de-facto AI norms regardless of official AI policies. Campus-wide ``AI shame'' is prevalent, often pushing AI use underground. Current institutional AI policies are perceived as generic, inconsistent, and confusing, resulting in routine noncompliance. Additionally, students develop value-based self-regulation strategies, but environmental pressures ...
