50.75%
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US high school students surveyed who use generative AI for research and finding sources, 2025, the most common use
What the chart shows
Research and finding sources is the most common use of generative AI for schoolwork among US high school students in College Board’s 2025 surveys, at 50.75%, just ahead of editing or revising essays (50.5%) and brainstorming ideas (50.25%).
Fewer use it to explain complex topics (40.75%) or learn languages (30%), and 17.75% use it to write code. The AI Index notes that university students in a separate survey are more likely to use AI to understand a concept.
Key numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Conducting research and finding sources | 50.75% |
| Editing or revising essays | 50.50% |
| Brainstorming ideas | 50.25% |
| Explaining complex topics | 40.75% |
| Writing code | 17.75% |
How to read it
- Average across College Board’s four survey administrations in 2025, as the AI Index reports. Students could choose several uses. The chart rounds to one decimal place.
- US high school students only. Other surveys put the share of students using AI for schoolwork at between about 50% and 84%, according to the AI Index.
Source: College Board, 2025, via the AI Index Report 2026 (Stanford HAI), figure 7.3.17: High school students’ GenAI uses for schoolwork, 2025. Chart and text by AI Adoption.
Numbers checked against the published data on 20 October 2026.
Download the data (CSV) · Cite this chart
Numbers checked against the published data on 20 October 2026.
Download the data (CSV) · Cite this chart
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