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In a 113-student survey, policy improved ChatGPT use; better use was linked to less dependency

Study title: The influence of institutional policies and ChatGPT usage levels on dependence through utilization in higher education

A study of 113 students at Politeknik Ilmu Pelayaran Semarang in Indonesia found that institutional policies significantly increased how well students utilized ChatGPT, and that better utilization was linked to lower dependency on the tool.

Read the study abstract

The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI), particularly ChatGPT, has transformed learning practices in higher education while raising concerns about student dependency and academic integrity. Although previous studies have primarily examined the effects of AI usage intensity, limited attention has been given to how institutional policies shape AI utilization and subsequently influence dependency. This study addresses this gap by examining the effects of ChatGPT usage level and institutional p…

Truvace record1 min read1 sourceEvidence: Moderate · 50/100 — Survey · n = 113 · 1 independent sourcePeer-reviewedTRV-2026-2377 · cite or check it
The influence of institutional policies and ChatGPT usage levels on dependence through utilization in higher education
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In brief

Policies did not affect dependency directly. Instead, ChatGPT utilization fully mediated the link between policy and dependency, so policy worked only by shaping how students used the tool. How often students used ChatGPT influenced neither utilization nor dependency.

The authors argue this shifts attention from frequency-based views to utilization-oriented approaches to responsible AI adoption in higher education. The data come from a single institution, so the pattern cannot be assumed to hold elsewhere.

Main points

  1. The sample was 113 students at Politeknik Ilmu Pelayaran Semarang, Indonesia, chosen by stratified random sampling.
  2. Data were analyzed with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling in SmartPLS 3.
  3. Institutional policies significantly enhanced ChatGPT utilization but had no direct effect on dependency.
  4. ChatGPT utilization had a significant negative effect on dependency.
  5. The level of ChatGPT usage did not significantly influence utilization or dependency.
  6. Utilization fully mediated the relationship between institutional policies and dependency.

The gain

In a survey of 113 students at one Indonesian polytechnic, higher-quality ChatGPT utilization was significantly associated with lower dependency, and institutional policies raised that utilization.

The full story

The study used a quantitative design with stratified random sampling of 113 students at a single Indonesian maritime polytechnic, modeling relationships among institutional policies, ChatGPT usage level, utilization and dependency using PLS-SEM.

Results showed that policies mattered through utilization rather than directly. Usage intensity, the focus of earlier research, had no significant effect on either utilization or dependency.

The authors recommend that institutions prioritize policies promoting AI literacy, set clear ethical guidelines, integrate ChatGPT into learning activities with supervision, and encourage reflective rather than passive use.

Sources

  1. Peer-reviewedInternational Journal of Education and Learning2026-12-31

The debate