Giving students AI access is not the same as getting them to use it
Interviews with 61 first-generation, low-income college students found barriers to deeper AI use even when chatbots were available. A clear first task and peer example may help, but this college study cannot tell us how often K-12 students use AI.
What the source reports
A study based on 61 interviews asked first-generation, low-income college students about their use of AI chatbots. Basic access did not ensure they used the tools in deeper ways. Students described unclear starting points, doubts about value or their own ability, limited peer exposure, and resource limits. The findings suggest testing guided first steps and looking at repeat use, not just who has an account. The participants were college students. The study does not measure AI use in K-12 schools.
Original source
- Title
- Accessible, but Not Adopted: Increasing LLM Adoption among First-generation, Low-income (FGLI) College Students beyond Expanding Access
- Author
- Hyungsik Kim
- Publication
- arXiv / LM4UC Workshop at IJCAI 2026
- Date
- Monday, September 28, 2026
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