AI Literacy Self-Assessment for Undergraduates

Welcome to the AI Literacy Self-Assessment. This survey asks about your experiences with and understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and concepts. There are no right or wrong answers — we are interested in your honest self-assessment of your current knowledge and skills. Your participation is completely voluntary and you may stop at any time. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate. Results will be used for educational research purposes to better understand AI literacy among undergraduate students. This survey takes approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. By continuing, you indicate that you have read and understood this information and consent to participate.

Are you currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at a college or university?

• Yes
• No

How often do you use AI-powered tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Grammarly, DALL-E) for any purpose?

• Never
• A few times a year
• A few times a month
• A few times a week
• Daily or almost daily

The following statements describe knowledge and skills related to AI concepts. For each statement, please indicate how much you agree or disagree based on your current abilities.

I can use AI-powered tools effectively to help me complete academic tasks (e.g., research, writing, coding).

I can identify when an AI tool has generated inaccurate or fabricated information.

I can identify ethical concerns that arise from using AI tools in academic work.

I can describe the types of tasks where current AI systems are likely to perform poorly or unreliably.

Overall, how would you rate your current level of AI literacy?

Thinking about your responses throughout this survey, what do you see as the biggest gap in your own AI literacy, and what would help you address it?

Finally, we have a few questions about your background for classification purposes.

Which of the following AI-powered tools have you used at least once? Select all that apply.

• ChatGPT
• Microsoft Copilot
• Google Gemini
• Claude
• Grammarly
• DALL-E / Midjourney / other image generators
• GitHub Copilot / coding assistants
• AI-powered search (e.g., Perplexity, Bing AI)
• Other AI tools
• I have never used any AI tools

I can explain the basic concept of artificial intelligence in my own words.

I can write clear and specific prompts to get useful results from generative AI tools.

I can evaluate whether AI-generated content is well-reasoned and supported by evidence.

I can explain the privacy implications of sharing personal or sensitive data with AI tools.

I can explain why AI systems sometimes generate confident-sounding but incorrect responses.

How prepared do you feel to use AI tools responsibly and effectively in your academic and professional life?

What is your current year of undergraduate study?

• First year / Freshman
• Second year / Sophomore
• Third year / Junior
• Fourth year / Senior
• Fifth year or beyond
• Prefer not to say

Have you completed any formal course, workshop, or training that covered artificial intelligence or machine learning concepts?

• Yes, a full course (e.g., semester-long)
• Yes, a short workshop or training session
• No, but I have learned informally (e.g., online videos, articles)
• No, I have no formal or informal AI education

I can describe how a machine learning model learns patterns from data.

I can choose the most appropriate AI tool for a specific task from among the options available to me.

I can recognize potential biases in the outputs produced by AI systems.

I can evaluate whether using an AI tool in a specific academic situation would be considered a violation of academic integrity.

I can identify situations where it would be inappropriate or risky to rely on AI-generated outputs.

Which of the following best describes your primary field of study?

• Computer Science / Information Technology
• Engineering
• Natural Sciences (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
• Mathematics / Statistics
• Social Sciences (e.g., Psychology, Sociology, Political Science)
• Business / Economics
• Humanities (e.g., English, History, Philosophy)
• Arts / Design / Media
• Health Sciences / Nursing
• Education
• Other
• Undeclared / Undecided
• Prefer not to say

I can explain the difference between AI that follows predefined rules and AI that learns from examples.

I can modify and refine AI-generated outputs to improve their quality and relevance for my needs.

I can verify AI-generated claims by cross-referencing them with credible sources.

I can articulate how AI systems might perpetuate or amplify societal inequities.

I understand that AI systems do not truly comprehend or understand information the way humans do.

What is your age?

• 18 or under
• 19-20
• 21-22
• 23-25
• 26-30
• 31 or older
• Prefer not to say

I can describe what training data is and why it matters for AI system performance.