This report looks at how higher education faculty in the USA are using mainstream generative AI applications as well as specialized scholarly AI programs for content discovery and summation. The 138-page study gives extensive information on faculty use of a plethora of AI applications, including, but not limited to, Research Rabbit, Semantic Scholar, and Connected Papers. In addition, the study gives detailed data on use of ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, CoPilot and Claude by college faculty.
The study also looks at how scholars evaluate their use of AI, presenting data on just how much more, or less productive faculty feel that use of AI has made them. Beyond use of AI for specific analytical or writing tasks, the study also presents detailed data on the extent to which AI is replacing traditional search engines. Through data and open ended questions, the report paints a picture of how college faculty and currently using AI in their scholarship.
Just a few of the report’s many findings are that:
- College faculty use ChatGPT at a mean of 37 minutes per week.
- 4.55% of faculty had ever used Semantic Scholar.
- 30.4% of faculty in fine arts and architecture routinely use AI in searching for journal articles or other research content.
- Nearly 26% of male survey respondents feel that training in AI applications is a high or very high priority for them.
- Faculty in law and education/library science were the most likely to report high productivity gains from the use of AI.
Data is based on a survey of 660 higher education faculty broken out by numerous personal and institutional variables enabling readers to pinpoint differences in attitudes and policies towards AI by variables such as gender, ethnicity, academic field, academic title, college type, college size and many other characteristics.
Table of Contents
Questionnaire
Characteristics of the sample
Institutional Affiliations of the Survey Participants
SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS
1. Weekly Time Spent Using AI Applications, Summary of Survey Findings
2. Use of AI Literature Discovery Tools, Summary of Survey Findings
3. Routine Use of AI for Article Search, Summary of Survey Findings
4. Most Important AI Discovery Research Tool, Summary of Survey Findings
List of Tables
Table 1 In the past week how much time in total aggregate weekly minutes did you spend using each AI application?
Table 2.1 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools?
Table 2.2 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by enrollment
Table 2.3 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie Class
Table 2.4 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by public or private college
Table 2.5 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 2.6 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by political views
Table 2.7 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by annual personal income
Table 2.8 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by tenure track
Table 2.9 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 2.10 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by race or ethnicity
Table 2.11 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by academic field
Table 2.12 Have you personally used any of the following AI literature discovery tools? Broken out by years at present institution
Table 3.1 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content?
Table 3.2 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by enrollment
Table 3.3 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie Class
Table 3.4 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by public or private college
Table 3.5 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 3.6 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by political views
Table 3.7 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by annual personal income
Table 3.8 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by tenure track
Table 3.9 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 3.10 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by race or ethnicity
Table 3.11 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by academic field
Table 3.12 Would you say that you now use any of the AI applications listed above, or other AI applications, routinely in searching for journal articles or other content? Broken out by years at present institution
Table 4.1 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work?
Table 4.2 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by enrollment
Table 4.3 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie Class
Table 4.4 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by public or private college
Table 4.5 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 4.6 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by political views
Table 4.7 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by annual personal income
Table 4.8 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by tenure track
Table 4.9 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 4.10 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by race or ethnicity
Table 4.11 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by academic field
Table 4.12 In your opinion, which is the single most important AI discovery research tool for your scholarly work? Broken out by years at present institution
Table 5.1 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question?
Table 5.2 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by enrollment
Table 5.3 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie Class
Table 5.4 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by public or private college
Table 5.5 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 5.6 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by political views
Table 5.7 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by annual personal income
Table 5.8 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by tenure track
Table 5.9 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 5.10 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by race or ethnicity
Table 5.11 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by academic field
Table 5.12 How high a priority will it be for you training in use of the kinds of AI driven scholarly research personalization and summary tools such as those listed in the last question? Broken out by years at present institution
Table 6.1 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive?
Table 6.2 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by enrollment
Table 6.3 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie Class
Table 6.4 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by public or private college
Table 6.5 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 6.6 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by political views
Table 6.7 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by annual personal income
Table 6.8 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by tenure track
Table 6.9 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 6.10 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by race or ethnicity
Table 6.11 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by academic field
Table 6.12 In general, has the use of AI literature discovery tools made you more or less productive? Broken out by years at present institution
Table 7 About what percentage of your internet search engine searches do you start the following way? (Total should add to 100%)
Table 7.1.12 About what percentage of your internet search engine searches do you start the following way?
