CHATGPT as a knowledge-support tool: Perceptions of its professional use among working students in Poland

Abstract

Type of the article: Research ArticleGenerative artificial intelligence increasingly supports knowledge work in education and professional settings, yet its usefulness remains underexplored among people who combine study and employment. This study examines how working students perceive ChatGPT’s usefulness in selected professional applications. The study uses data from a quantitative online survey of 419 working students from five age groups conducted in Poland between April and June 2024. The questionnaire measured current and expected usefulness of ChatGPT in selected professional roles, motives for use, and the most frequently used version of the tool. The analysis used Kruskal-Wallis tests, post-hoc multiple comparisons, Cochran’s Q test, planned McNemar comparisons, Pearson’s chi-square tests, and effect-size measures. Most respondents used the Free version (n = 329), while smaller groups used Premium (n = 67) or Other variants (n = 23). Information retrieval was the most frequently reported motive for using ChatGPT (n = 298; 71.1%), followed by assistance in learning new skills (n = 249; 59.4%). Age-related differences appeared in the current assessment of ChatGPT as a customer relations specialist (p = 0.0018) and secretary (p = 0.0083), with respondents aged 40-50 assigning higher ratings in these roles. Younger respondents reported using ChatGPT for skill development more often than older respondents (p < 0.001). ChatGPT version also differentiated use: Premium users more often reported routine document preparation, code generation, and data analysis, while Other-version users more often reported code generation and data analysis. The findings show that working students perceive ChatGPT primarily as a knowledge-support tool rather than a substitute for professional roles.