More than a third of UvA students have used UvA AI Chat
Over one in three students at the UvA have used UvA AI Chat, the generative chatbot developed by the university. According to university figures, more than 4,000 students use the application at least on a monthly basis.
Since the launch of UvA AI Chat, the AI environment created by the University of Amsterdam for students and staff, at least 15,000 students have tried the tool. University data on usage of the freely accessible application shows that 37.9 percent of students have used UvA AI Chat at least once.
UvA AI Chat is the university’s response to the rise of commercial AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot. In this secure environment, all input and personal data remain within the university’s systems to protect the privacy of students and staff.
The data in this article are based on a monthly analysis by the UvA AI Chat development team, covering the period from September to March.
A smaller group of students uses UvA AI Chat more regularly. Just over ten percent of students log in to the platform’s online environment at least monthly.
Major impact
The university recognises that generative AI has a “major impact on society and therefore also on education.” A spokesperson explained that this is why the UvA has proactively integrated AI across the university: “We want to help students, teachers, and staff use generative artificial intelligence responsibly. UvA AI Chat is an important step in this. It is a safe alternative to tools like ChatGPT – especially with regard to privacy and data security – so we encourage its use.”
The UvA’s efforts go beyond the chatbot itself; the university is also investing broadly in AI literacy. Teachers are being trained to integrate AI into their lessons didactically, and the university aims to make it clear to students what the rules are regarding AI-related academic misconduct.
