From Discovery to Decision: Students Are Using AI in their Higher Ed Search

Recent reports on student recruitment have tended to underplay the role of AI in how young people explore university options. When AI is mentioned, it often appears at the bottom of charts or as an aside. This omission is striking given new data suggesting its use is rapidly moving into the mainstream.

Carnegie’s latest AI Use in College Search study, highlighted in a LinkedIn post by Kyle Campbell, reveals that the proportion of students using AI to research universities has more than doubled since last year. Today, nearly one in four prospective students relies on AI tools for discovery. Ofcom’s own research reinforces this picture: 45% of 8–17-year-olds now use AI for learning, a 10% increase on 2023, and over half of teenage AI users say they trust its outputs as much as, or more than, human-generated content.

The implications are significant. Authenticity and peer voices remain central to decision-making, but AI is increasingly “good enough” at providing reliable, early-stage answers. Students are comfortable asking AI to suggest universities or summarise entry requirements, and they trust what they are fed back.

From content to community

This shift places new pressure on university marketing strategies. If AI is commoditising information, institutional content must evolve. As Campbell notes, students are demonstrating a clear appetite for human interaction. On Results Day, The Student Room reported 11% longer session times and 9% more pageviews compared with last year – evidence that conversation and community remain essential.

The challenge for universities is not how much they publish, but how meaningfully they engage. That means:

• Taking creative risks so content stands out in a sea of AI-generated summaries.

• Leaning into platform-native storytelling, especially on TikTok where human-led creativity thrives.

• Investing in ambassadors and peer communities, where authentic dialogue carries more weight than polished campaigns.

Brand experience in the age of AI agents

Hunterlodge’s article, Why Brand Experience Matters More Than Ever with the Rise in AI Agent, extends this discussion. Students are no longer just using AI search tools – they are beginning to rely on AI agents to complete complex, multi-step research tasks on their behalf.

This trend makes clarity and consistency in brand messaging critical. Content needs to be not only engaging for human readers but also structured and accurate enough for AI agents to interpret correctly. Universities that optimise for both audiences will be better placed to influence student choices.

Looking ahead

The next year will likely see three clear shifts in higher education marketing:

1. Greater creative risk-taking, as universities seek to stand out from AI-driven sameness.

2. More human-led content on human-first platforms, especially TikTok, where authenticity outperforms polished content.

3. Community-centric engagement, with universities meeting students in forums, on Reddit, through ambassador-led dialogue, and increasingly on YouTube, where student-generated content carries significant influence.

AI is no longer a fringe behaviour in the student search journey; it is becoming a mainstream tool of discovery. This reality can’t be ignored universities don’t need to fight AI, but they do need to adapt – combining AI-aware content with authentic, human-led community engagement. Those who succeed will not only be found by students but also trusted by them too.