Can AI become a study ally and help combat bad learning habits? Experts weigh in

As students become ever more reliant on AI, experts have utlized the tool to discover which study habits lead to bad exam results — and discussed whether the use of AI can be effective in learning and preparation.

Amid the start of the academic year, the AI prompt experts AIPRM have turned to AI to detect the most harmful study habits.

Cramming the night before was deemed the most stressful habit, with an astonishing 10/10 stress level. It leads to high anxiety, panic, and long-term burnout.

The second most negative habit was multitasking while studying, with a stress level of 9/10. According to the report, it can result in mental fatigue, frustration, and low-quality output. Instead, the researchers recommend trying monotasking with the Pomodoro Technique, which includes focused work sessions of 25 minutes before taking short breaks.

Coming in third, studying without a plan scored 8/10 on the stress scale. It makes you feel like “you’re never on track”, creating a sense of confusion. AIRPM experts suggest opting for setting daily goals and creating a dedicated study schedule instead.

Here is a full list of results:

• Cramming the Night Before: Stress Level 10/10
• Multitasking While Studying: Stress Level 9/10
• Studying Without a Plan: Stress Level 8/10
• Ignoring Practice Testing: Stress Level 7/10
• Passive Re-reading: Stress Level 6/10
• Highlighting Everything: Stress Level 5/10
• Studying in the Same Environment Only: Stress Level 3/10

The news comes as searches for ‘AI study tools’ have soared over 5,000% according to Google Trends. In addition, Christoph C. Cemper, founder of AIPRM, cites a study of university students across 16 countries, saying that almost nine in ten students (86%) use AI in their studies.

“As we begin the new academic year, AI is more prevalent in education than ever before. Schools and universities are using AI to plan lessons, create learning resources, grade work, and complete admin tasks.

“Meanwhile, students are turning to AI to help simplify topics, support revision, give feedback on work, and assist with research. In fact, a study of university students across 16 countries revealed that almost nine in ten students (86%) use AI in their studies,” Cemper says.

He warned that the real challenge is “making sure students do not become over-reliant” while acknowledging that AI in itself can be a great tool to improve efficiency and learning techniques.

“AI should be used to think with students, not for them. Relying on it to do the work carries a long list of risks, including weaker critical thinking and learning skills, poor knowledge retention, lack of references for information, and potentially plagiarism or disciplinary issues.”

Cemper recommends that institutions put clear safeguards in place for their students’ use of AI. According to him, ensuring a healthy academic relationship between students and AI is as much the responsibility of the students as it is of the schools and universities. As access to these tools grows, so should the regulations, knowledge, and literacy.