Use of artificial intelligence across California State University’s campuses is high, with most faculty, staff and students agreeing that AI-generated content must be verified, according to a CSU survey released Wednesday.
The CSU AI Survey found a near universal demand for transparency, ethical use and responsible regulation of AI content. Of the more than 94,000 survey respondents, just over 80,000 were students — 85% undergraduates — while more than 6,000 were faculty and over 7,300 were staff.
“We launched the largest AI initiative in higher education last year to ensure that this extraordinary technology equitably expands opportunity for CSU students, bolsters faculty and staff excellence, strengthens the California workforce, and is implemented in a manner that reflects the CSU’s core values,” CSU Chancellor Mildred GarcÃa said in a statement.
“Data must inform and guide our decision-making moving forward, and this survey — given its size — sets not just a CSU benchmark, but a national one. And it marks an exciting moment for the CSU, one that demonstrates our commitment to student success by boldly and thoughtfully leading through innovation.”
Among the survey’s key findings:
— More than half of students, six in 10 faculty and two-thirds of staff regularly use AI-powered tools;
— 95% of respondents used at least one of the 21 AI tools listed in the survey;
— ChatGPT is the most commonly used AI tool across CSU, used by more than 84% of survey participants;
— More than eight in 10 staff respondents and roughly seven in 10 faculty want formal AI training;
— About 80% of student respondents oppose submitting AI-generated work as their own;
— The majority of faculty, staff and student respondents say it is necessary to verify the accuracy of AI-generated content;
— More than half of faculty respondents use AI to develop course materials, and 69% provide students with guidance on how to use AI effectively;
— About 82% of staff respondents, 78% of faculty and 69% of students believe AI will become an essential part of most professions; and
— 82% of students, 78% of faculty and 74% of staff express concern about AI’s impact on job security.
Developed by researchers at San Diego State University, the CSU AI Survey was conducted in fall 2025.
The survey “captures a moment of transition in higher education, where both students and faculty are actively assessing how AI fits into teaching and learning,” said David Goldberg, SDSU AI Faculty Fellow, associate professor of management information systems and a lead researcher on the survey.
“The data gives us a powerful foundation to better support faculty by tailoring training to real needs, bringing more consistency to AI use in the classroom, and ensuring that its use strengthens learning outcomes,” he said. “It also offers a roadmap for institutions nationwide to better understand AI’s role and to implement it thoughtfully, consistently, and responsibly.”
CSU’s 18-month, $17 million deal with OpenAI, launched in February 2025, provides ChatGPT to nearly 470,000 students and 63,000 faculty and staff. The contract ends in July.