Google or ChatGPT: Who is the Better Helper for University Students
Mengmeng Zhang, Xiantong Yang

TL;DR
This study investigates Taiwanese university students' preferences for using ChatGPT over Google for academic help, identifies key influencing factors, and compares machine learning algorithms to predict these preferences.
Contribution
It provides new insights into students' preference for ChatGPT, highlights core influencing factors, and evaluates machine learning models for prediction.
Findings
Students prefer ChatGPT for academic help-seeking.
GenAI fluency, distortions, and age are key factors influencing preferences.
Random Forest and LightGBM outperform other algorithms in prediction.
Abstract
Using information technology tools for academic help-seeking among college students has become a popular trend. In the evolutionary process between Generation Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and traditional search engines, when students face academic challenges, do they tend to prefer Google, or are they more inclined to utilize ChatGPT? And what are the key factors influencing learners' preference to use ChatGPT for academic help-seeking? These relevant questions merit attention. The study employed a mixed-methods research design to investigate Taiwanese university students' online academic help-seeking preferences. The results indicated that students tend to prefer using ChatGPT to seek academic assistance, reflecting the potential popularity of GenAI in the educational field. Additionally, in comparing seven machine learning algorithms, the Random Forest and LightGBM algorithms…
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Taxonomy
TopicsArtificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education · AI in Service Interactions · COVID-19 diagnosis using AI
