Students who frequently rely on ChatGPT for schoolwork may exhibit lower levels of conscientiousness compared to their peers, according to a new study exploring the link between artificial intelligence use and personality traits.
The study, published in the journal Education and Information Technologies and first reported by the website Psypost, surveyed 326 undergraduate students from three universities in Pakistan. Researchers collected responses at three intervals over the academic year to examine how students’ personalities influenced their use of AI tools like ChatGPT.
The study found that students who scored high on measures of conscientiousness—a trait associated with organization, discipline and goal-oriented behavior—were significantly less likely to use AI to complete academic tasks. Researchers said these students preferred to rely on their own abilities and avoided shortcuts, suggesting a correlation between self-discipline and reduced reliance on AI.
By contrast, students who were less conscientious reported greater use of ChatGPT and similar tools.
The research also explored the roles of two other personality traits: openness to experience and neuroticism. Students with high openness levels—who tend to be curious and creative—were more inclined to experiment with new technologies. However, their preference for originality and independent thinking may have offset that tendency. Notably, students high in openness were more likely to use AI when they perceived grading criteria as unfair.
The influence of neuroticism was less clear. While students who scored high in this trait may use AI to reduce uncertainty in their answers, researchers found they also expressed concerns about the accuracy of those responses or feared their use might be detected and penalized.
Overall, the study suggests that frequent AI users also tended to report lower academic self-efficacy, expressing doubts about their ability to succeed on their own. Some exhibited signs of "learned helplessness," the belief that personal effort would not improve outcomes.
Researchers warned that while ChatGPT may offer short-term academic advantages, overreliance could harm student motivation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The findings come as other studies continue to examine the impact of AI tools on academic performance. A 2023 paper in JAMA Internal Medicine found that assignments written using advanced versions of GPT scored at least four points higher than those submitted by human students. The more sophisticated the AI model, the better it was at evading detection by systems designed to identify AI-generated work.
A recent meta-analysis published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, which reviewed 51 prior studies, found a strong correlation between ChatGPT use and improved academic performance. It also identified moderate gains in students’ perceptions of their learning and their higher-order thinking skills. Longer-term use of AI tools was associated with greater academic benefits.
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However, the study found that AI's impact varied across disciplines. In STEM fields—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—AI use generally led to higher grades. In humanities and other non-STEM subjects, AI-generated work often performed no better or worse than student-authored assignments.
Researchers concluded that academic institutions should not discourage AI use outright but instead provide clear guidance and instruction on ethical and effective use. They also recommended that instructors design assignments that emphasize problem-based learning to enhance students’ skills and reduce dependency on AI.