TLDR: A recent survey reveals that 97% of Seoul National University students are utilizing generative artificial intelligence in their academic pursuits. This high adoption rate contrasts sharply with the broader landscape of Korean higher education, where 77.1% of universities nationwide have yet to establish clear guidelines for AI usage, leading to inconsistent policies and growing concerns among students and educators.
A recent report from CHOSUNBIZ, published on November 3, 2025, highlights a significant disparity in the adoption and regulation of artificial intelligence within South Korean universities. A survey conducted at Seoul National University (SNU) found that over 97% of its enrolled students are actively using generative AI tools in their studies. This widespread integration of AI has become a routine part of their academic work, including tasks such as report writing, structuring research paper drafts, and preparing presentations.
Despite this rapid embrace of AI by students, institutional responses across the nation are notably lagging. A survey conducted last year by the Korean Council for University Education revealed that 77.1% of universities nationwide have not yet established clear guidelines for generative AI usage. Among the presidents of 131 universities surveyed, only 22.9% reported having adopted AI policies. This absence of clear institutional standards often leaves the decision of AI use to the discretion of individual professors, resulting in varying allowances even within the same academic departments.
The trend of high AI adoption is not exclusive to SNU. A separate survey conducted late last year by the job-seeking platform “Albamon,” which polled 372 college students across Korea, indicated that 78% had used AI for their studies, with 88.6% primarily utilizing it for assignments and report writing.
In response to this evolving landscape, Seoul National University is proactively developing an AI system for all its members, with an aim for implementation by the spring semester of next year. Education experts emphasize that the focus should no longer be on whether to use AI, but rather on how to use it effectively and ethically. They advocate for institutional standards that clearly specify the purpose and sources for AI use, along with a necessary shift in education towards improving students’ AI literacy through ethics courses.
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This situation underscores a critical need for Korean universities to develop comprehensive AI usage policies to ensure fair academic practices and adequately prepare students for an AI-integrated future.
