AI or Teacher Feedback: What Do Students Think?

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT are popping up everywhere, including in college classrooms. They can give instant feedback on assignments, but how do students feel about this compared to feedback from their teachers? A big study from four Australian universities, published on May 13, 2025, in Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, digs into this question. Led by Michael Henderson and a team of researchers, the study asked nearly 7,000 students about their experiences with generative AI (GenAI) and teacher feedback. The takeaway? Both are useful, but students trust teachers more and love AI for its convenience. Let’s break down what they found and why it matters.

What the Study Looked At

The researchers surveyed 6,960 students from Monash University, Deakin University, the University of Queensland, and the University of Technology Sydney. About half (49.7%) said they used GenAI tools to get feedback on their work, like essays or projects, while the other half stuck with traditional methods. The survey asked students to rate how helpful and trustworthy they found feedback from AI and teachers, and to share their thoughts in open-ended questions. The results show that AI and teachers each bring something different to the table, making them partners rather than rivals in helping students learn.

Finding 1: Both Are Helpful, But Teachers Win Slightly

Most students found both AI and teacher feedback helpful. About 83.9% said GenAI feedback was somewhat or very helpful, and 82.2% felt the same about teacher feedback. But when you zoom in, teachers got a slight edge: 41.3% of students called teacher feedback “very helpful,” compared to 24.4% for AI. The stats showed a small but real difference favoring teachers.

Why do students prefer teacher feedback? It’s often more tailored to the assignment and course. For example, a teacher might point out exactly how a student’s essay misses the mark based on the class’s goals. AI, on the other hand, is a superstar at convenience. Students raved about its ease of access (99.3% said it’s easier to get than teacher feedback), speed (98.7% loved the instant responses), and ability to answer tons of questions (97.7% appreciated the volume). Imagine tweaking an essay at 2 a.m. and getting AI suggestions right away—no waiting for office hours! A 2023 study by Chan and Hu backs this up, noting that AI’s quick, personalized feedback is a game-changer for busy students.

Finding 2: Trust Goes to Teachers

When it comes to trust, teachers are the clear winners. A huge 90.5% of students rated teacher feedback as somewhat or very trustworthy, compared to just 60.1% for AI. The stats showed a big gap, with students worrying about AI’s reliability—95.4% said it was less reliable than teacher feedback. They mentioned risks like wrong facts, biases, or feedback that doesn’t fit the assignment’s context. A 2024 study by Nazaretsky et al. found similar doubts, showing students trust AI less when they know it’s not human.

Interestingly, students who skipped AI feedback often cited the same trust issues (28.7% mentioned this). Some (28.1%) didn’t even know they could use AI for feedback, pointing to a need for better guidance on these tools. A 2024 review by Shi and Aryadoust echoes this, suggesting that AI’s reliability depends on how well students understand its limits.

Finding 3: Feelings Matter

Feedback isn’t only the passing of information. It also affects how students feel. AI feedback was seen as less risky and less harsh, with 91.3% saying it didn’t make them feel bad and 86.2% noting its friendly, polite tone. For example, an AI might suggest edits without making a student feel judged, unlike a teacher’s tougher critique. A 2024 study by Wang found that students felt less anxious with AI feedback, likely because it’s less personal.

But that personal touch is a strength for teachers. Students said teacher feedback feels more human (93.8% said AI was less personal) and expert (88.2% felt AI lacked teacher authority). However, this can backfire: 83.8% noted that teacher feedback sometimes feels negative, like being called out or dismissed. A 2022 study by Ajjawi et al. suggests that building trust with students can soften these negative vibes, highlighting the importance of how teachers give feedback.

Finding 4: AI and Teachers Work Better Together

The big picture? AI and teacher feedback aren’t in a showdown—they complement each other. AI is great for quick, easy-to-understand feedback on early drafts or brainstorming. Teachers, meanwhile, offer deep, course-specific insights that push students to grow. A 2024 study by Banihashem et al. supports this, showing that AI gives broad, descriptive feedback, while humans are better at spotting specific fixes.
Students who didn’t use AI for feedback often valued human connection (6%) or felt they didn’t need AI because they already got feedback elsewhere (6.3%). Some worried about privacy (2.7%) or cheating (9.1%), concerns also raised in a 2025 book chapter by Creely and Henderson. These ethical questions show why clear rules for AI use are needed.

What This Means for Colleges

Universities need to help students use AI feedback wisely while keeping the human touch of teacher feedback. Teaching “feedback literacy”—how to seek, understand, and use feedback—is key. A 2025 study by Zhan and Yan suggests students need skills like writing good AI prompts, checking AI outputs critically, and using AI ethically. Colleges could offer workshops to show students how to use AI tools, especially since 28.1% didn’t know they could.

Teachers can also learn from AI’s strengths. By giving clear, course-specific feedback with a kind tone, they can make their advice even more impactful. A 2025 study by Jensen et al. notes that teacher feedback often helps students grow long-term, while AI is great for quick, task-focused tips.

What’s Next?

This study, with nearly 7,000 responses, is solid but has limits. Only 5% of invited students replied, so those with strong opinions about AI might be overrepresented. Plus, it’s based in Australia, so results might vary elsewhere. Future studies could explore how students use AI and teacher feedback together or how custom AI tools in classrooms change perceptions.

In short, AI and teacher feedback both have their place. AI is fast and friendly, while teachers offer expertise and connection. By blending the two, colleges can create a feedback system that helps students shine in an AI-powered world.

By Imran Ali-Farzal, Co-CEO at KEATH.ai

Supporting Sources

• Jensen, L. X., et al. (2025). Feedback Encounters in Doctoral Supervision: The Role of Generative AI Chatbots. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2025.2478155
• Chan, C. K. Y., & Hu, W. (2023). Students’ Voices on Generative AI: Perceptions, Benefits, and Challenges in Higher Education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00411-8
• Nazaretsky, T., et al. (2024). AI or Human? Evaluating Student Feedback Perceptions in Higher Education. Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72315-5_23
• Shi, H., & Aryadoust, V. (2024). A Systematic Review of AI-Based Automated Written Feedback Research. ReCALL. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344023000265
• Wang, D. (2024). Teacher Versus AI-Generated Corrective Feedback and Language Learners’ Writing Anxiety. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v25i3.7646
• Ajjawi, R., et al. (2022). Feedback That Works: A Realist Review of Feedback Interventions for Written Tasks. Studies in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2021.1894115
• Banihashem, S. K., et al. (2024). Feedback Sources in Essay Writing: Peer-Generated or AI-Generated Feedback? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-024-00455-4
• Creely, E., & Henderson, M. (2025). Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Dis/Empowerment of Migrant and Refugee Learners. In Digital Empowerment for Refugee and Migrant Learners. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003433217-5
• Zhan, Y., & Yan, Z. (2025). Students’ Engagement with ChatGPT Feedback: Implications for Student Feedback Literacy. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2025.2471821