New College Board Research: Faculty Express Near-Universal Concern That Student AI Use Undermines Original Writing and Critical Thinking – Newsroom

College Board Research: Faculty Perspectives on Generative AI

• Survey Scope: Conducted in summer 2025, surveying over 3,000 U.S. college faculty members regarding the impact of generative AI in higher education.
• Widespread Student Use:
  • 74% of faculty report students using AI to write essays or papers.
  • 67% report students using AI to paraphrase or rewrite content.
  • Nearly 50% of faculty believe at least half of their students use AI for writing tasks.
• Primary Concerns:
  • 92% of faculty are concerned about plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
  • 88% are concerned about student overreliance on automation.
  • 84% agree that AI undermines critical thinking, originality, and deep engagement with course material.
• Faculty Sentiment & Usage:
  • Overall sentiment is more negative (45%) than positive (34%).
  • Despite concerns, 77% of faculty have used AI in their own professional roles.
• Institutional and Disciplinary Divides:
  • Selectivity: Faculty at highly selective institutions report higher student AI use and greater concern; faculty at open-enrollment colleges are more likely to view AI as a practical instructional tool.
  • Disciplines: Humanities/writing-intensive faculty report the highest levels of disruption and negative sentiment. STEM and business faculty are more likely to use AI professionally and hold positive views.
• Guidance and Policy Challenges:
  • 72% of faculty face challenges managing student AI use.
  • Only 21% feel "very confident" in guiding AI use in their classrooms.
  • 79% of faculty state they are still exploring or need further guidance on how to manage AI.
  • Less than half of faculty have established formal classroom policies regarding AI.
• Contextual Research: This report follows two 2025 College Board briefs on high school AI usage, which highlighted an emerging digital divide and inconsistent policy implementation across secondary education.