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AI is already part of how students learn, but institutions are still working out how to integrate it into student support.
The HEPI Student Generative AI Survey 2026 found that 95% of surveyed UK undergraduates had used AI in at least one way, while only 38% said their institution provided them with AI tools. The survey covered 1,054 full-time UK undergraduates in December 2025.
The findings highlight a gap between students' use of
AI and institutional provision. But wider AI adoption does not automatically mean better student support.
For universities and education providers, the challenge is to make help more accessible without making educators harder to reach.
Where can AI make student support easier?
Many student questions are straightforward: Where can I find the assignment brief? What are the course requirements? Which department handles a particular request?
When connected to reliable, institution-approved information, AI tools can help answer routine questions, direct students to relevant resources and explain next steps.
The University of Hawaiʻi offers an example of this approach. In a January 2026 update, the university reported that its campus chatbots had answered 4,294 student questions without human intervention and facilitated 5,554 connections to university resources during autumn 2025. The system also flagged students for direct staff follow-up. The figures cover 1 August to 10 December 2025.
These are university-reported results from a specific implementation, not a benchmark for every institution. They do, however, illustrate how AI can handle some routine interactions while helping connect students with further support.
What should remain in human hands?
Not every student question can be answered with a standard response.
AI can help with:
- Routine questions about schedules, course information and administrative processes.
- Directing students to relevant resources and support services.
- Explaining the next steps in a process.
Educators and support teams are essential for:
- Complex academic questions that require professional judgement.
- Personal circumstances that need context, empathy or individual guidance.
- Sensitive wellbeing concerns and situations requiring specialist support.
Research also highlights why human connection matters. A 2024 study involving 387 university students examined AI use alongside social support, wellbeing and student outcomes. Its findings raised concerns about the relationship between AI use and human support. However, the study does not establish that all educational AI tools cause poorer outcomes. The authors found that once social support, loneliness and belonging were considered, chatbot use had a net negative effect on achievement.
The practical lesson is not to avoid AI. It is to ensure that students can reach a person when an automated answer is insufficient.
How can institutions get the balance right?
Institutions do not need to automate every interaction. They need to decide where AI adds value and where human support is necessary.
1. Define clear boundaries. Use AI for appropriate routine questions, not as a substitute for educators or specialist support.
2. Make escalation simple. Students should have a clear route to a lecturer, adviser or relevant support team when their question needs human attention.
3. Use trusted information. Ground responses in current, approved institutional content. If the system cannot answer confidently, it should direct the student to an appropriate person.
4. Protect student data. Establish clear rules for privacy, access and how student information is used.
5. Measure the quality of support. Look beyond response speed. Track whether questions are resolved, referrals reach the right teams and students can access the help they need.
Want to track engagement and resolution across messaging channels? The CPaaS KPI Handbook covers 50+ WhatsApp, SMS and RCS metrics, with formulas and worked examples.
These principles align with UNESCO's guidance on generative AI in education and research, which emphasises a human-centred approach, privacy, equity and responsible implementation.
Where can Helo.ai fit?
Communication is one part of making student support easier to access.
Where supported by the required capabilities, verified information and integrations, Helo Convo can support student-facing conversations and guide students towards relevant next steps.
Helo Clarity can help institutions understand engagement across connected touchpoints where the relevant data is available, supporting more informed follow-up decisions.
These capabilities can support communication and engagement, but they do not replace educators, academic advisers or specialist services.
Use AI to connect students with support, not distance them from it
AI can help students find information faster and navigate routine processes with less friction. But an instant answer is not the same as meaningful support.
Institutions need to preserve clear access to educators, provide reliable information and make it easy to reach a person when a situation requires judgement or empathy.
The goal is simple: let AI make support easier to access while keeping human guidance within reach.
Frequently asked questions
How are universities using AI to support students?
They use it to answer routine questions, point students to resources and flag cases for staff follow-up. The University of Hawaiʻi reported 4,294 questions answered without human intervention in autumn 2025.
Can AI chatbots replace student advisers?
No. AI can handle routine questions, but advisers and educators are needed for complex, personal and sensitive issues. A 2024 study of 387 students linked chatbot use to poorer social outcomes.
When should student support queries be escalated to educators?
Escalate when a question needs professional judgement, personal context or specialist support, or when the AI tool cannot answer confidently. Students should always have a clear route to a person.
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