Nearly all Seoul students use generative AI, teachers warn of over-reliance
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Korean middle and high school students in Seoul were found to use generative AI more frequently in language-related subjects such as Korean and English.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL – Nearly 95 per cent of middle and high school students in Seoul have experience using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, a study released on Jan 11 found, and more than 90 per cent of teachers have expressed concerns about students’ growing reliance on such technology.
According to the July 2025 study by the Seoul Education Research and Information Institute, 94.7 per cent of the 26,541 students surveyed had used generative AI, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
Specifically, 93.8 per cent of middle school students and 96.7 per cent of high school students said they had used generative AI tools at least once.
Among students who used generative AI, 80 per cent reported using it for academic purposes, with 42.5 per cent using it for classroom activities and 35.7 per cent for independent study.
Students were found to use generative AI more frequently in language-related subjects such as Korean and English.
More than 60 per cent of students reported using the tools in language classes, compared with 38.3 per cent in mathematics, and less than 20 per cent in music and art.
In Korean classes, students said they used generative AI to create written assignments, presentations and visual infographics, as well as to summarise reading passages. In English classes, students reported using the tools to translate sentences and vocabulary, as well as to check pronunciation.
The widespread use of generative AI among students has fuelled concerns among teachers about over-reliance.
About 93.4 per cent of the 3,334 teachers surveyed said they believed students were overly dependent on generative AI tools, while 92.4 per cent expressed concern about potential plagiarism.
Another 92.5 per cent said they worried students would passively consume information, undermining their ability to think critically.
But fewer than half of teachers – 47.6 per cent – said they had taught students how to use generative AI in class.
Among those who did not teach generative AI use, the most common reason, at 37.7 per cent, was a lack of time after covering other lessons. This was followed by teachers saying they did not fully understand generative AI, 22.8 per cent, or did not think teaching it was necessary, 12.2 per cent.
More than 60 per cent of teachers used generative AI for classroom operations. Some 58.3 per cent reported using it to write student evaluations, while 18.9 per cent used it to prepare lesson plans.
Seven in 10 teachers said they had incorporated generative AI into classroom activities, with more than 60 per cent using it to assess students’ work. THE KOREA HERALD/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
