Informal Uses of Generative AI in University Digital Culture

Abstract

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in higher education is reshaping the ways in which students access, process, and produce knowledge. However, most existing studies have focused on its formal and institutionalized uses, overlooking the informal practices that emerge in students’ daily academic life. This article addresses this gap through a mixed-method study with a qualitative emphasis, aimed at examining how undergraduate and graduate students use tools such as ChatGPT outside formal instructional settings. The quantitative phase consisted of an online survey with 73 students from different academic areas, while the qualitative phase included 12 semi-structured interviews analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. Findings reveal a wide range of uses of GAI: idea generation, conceptual clarification, drafting of academic texts, translation, simulation of exam responses, and socio-emotional support. These practices highlight the function of GAI as a “cognitive copilot,” fostering student autonomy and peer collaboration. At an interpretative level, the results conceptualize these practices as expressions of an emerging university digital culture and as forms of critical digital literacy, where students reconfigure their relationship with knowledge and learning communities. The study concludes that recognizing and integrating these informal uses into pedagogy is crucial for fostering a responsible and interdisciplinary debate on the role of GAI in contemporary higher education.