With the growth of artificial intelligence in recent years in Brazil, a lot has been debated about the use of this technology in different environments, including education. Are Brazilian students nowadays using artificial intelligence? Is that a positive or negative thing?
In this context, the Multidisciplinary Integrated Project (MIP) can be used as one of the methods of analysis by researchers on the topic. Angela Oliveira, an administrator and content production specialist from Brazil, explains that those studying Information Technology and in need of a ready-made MIP document for inspiration can check examples in her guide on the subject:
“Projeto Integrado Multidisciplinar sobre aplicação de Tecnologia da informação (PIM): Se você cursa tecnologia da informação e precisa se inspirar, essa é uma ótima opção. Ele é um projeto de um terminal de computador para divulgação de informações.“
In addition to the examples mentioned by Angela, MIP can also be used to conduct case studies on the behavior of educational institutions and students regarding the application of artificial intelligence. In the following content, we will discuss this topic further.
What the Data Says About the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Education in Brazil
It has been some time since artificial intelligence ceased to be something of the future’s imagination and became a technology effectively applied. The year 2023 represented the “boom” of this technology, especially with the launching of tools like Chat GPT, Copilot from Microsoft, and Gemini from Google. Since then, AI has become a technology accessible to the global population, unleashing a multitude of resources.
When it comes to AI in education, the debate is still controversial, with part of the Brazilian population agreeing and part disagreeing on the use of the tool as a teaching method. For students, the scenario is favorable for the use of technology unlike professors. This is shown by a global survey of students conducted by Chegg org in 2023, which revealed that 40% of students worldwide stated they use AI for their university work. Compared to the global index, Brazil is above average, with 52% of students stating they use AI for their university studies.
Below, check out a table with the main data revealed by the research, and see the comparison between the global results and the results from Brazil:
| Data Collected | Global Result | Brazil Result |
| Students that say they have used GenAI for their university studies. | 40% | 52% |
| Students that say that they would like their curriculum to include training in AI tools relevant to their future career | 65% | 69% |
| Students that believe that given the availability of free GenAI tools, universities/colleges should change the way they assess students | 65% | 68% |
As we can see from the data above, the use of artificial intelligence is also a reality in how students deal with education today, and Brazilians are above the global average when it comes to using and wanting to develop AI skills.
This enthusiasm of Brazilian students for AI technology is interesting, given that another survey, conducted by Microsoft and LinkedIn in 2024, showed that 66% of global leaders and 58% of leaders in Brazil would not hire someone without AI skills.
AI-Based Learning Tools
There are several tools that have been used by Brazilian students to support learning. Some of the most common ones are:
- Duolingo: Duolingo is a good example of a language-learning app that has been using artificial intelligence for a long time to personalize students’ practices. Based on efficient prompts, the app generates numerous exercise options to boost language learning.
- AI Language Teachers: Besides Duolingo, other more interactive language teaching apps have become popular in Brazil, widely used by students who want to learn new languages. These technologies vary widely, and there are even apps with tutors that interact with students to practice English conversations and make necessary corrections, as is the case with Praktika. All done through artificial intelligence.
- Spell Checkers: Spell checkers like Grammarly are also widely used by students in the process of creating content that complies with Portuguese grammar rules. Grammarly can detect errors and suggest corrections, including explaining the reason for the mistake in detail.
- Chat GPT: Chat GPT is the primary representative of artificial intelligence used by Brazilian students today. In a study published by Scientific Reports in 2023, the majority of Brazilian students interviewed agreed that using Chat GPT for homework assignments is ethical and should be allowed. 94% of responding Brazilian students stated they would use the tool in their schoolwork next semester. On the other hand, in the survey mentioned at the beginning of this content, it was found that 48% of Brazilian students are concerned about receiving incorrect information through Chat GPT and other AI resources.
Benefits and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in Brazilian Education
There are a lot of benefits generated by the inclusion of AI day-to-day, including in education. Among them is the possibility of streamlining manual and operational tasks that do not require critical thinking and consuming educational content in real time.
But the challenges are also significant, especially in terms of technology. When we search for examples of Brazilian educational institutions using AI in student learning, results are still difficult to find. Most of them are concentrated in private schools, as the public network still lacks technology in this regard.
Below, we have prepared a table with the main benefits and challenges of using artificial intelligence by Brazilian students:
| Benefits | Challenges |
| More options of research tools available for thesis, dissertations, and scientific articles | Awareness of the limits of AI tool use |
| Free language teaching apps, providing interactive and real-time teaching, 100% online | Plagiarism possibility in term papers, essays and academic work in general |
| Reduction of operational activities, such as creating tables and organizing information | Possibility of sharing fake information |
| Learning being possible anytime and anywhere | Need for training for better use of technology, such as knowledge of available tools and creation of intelligent prompts |
| Automated recording, transcription, and note-taking features for classes and meetings held via video conferencing | Increased social inequality due to the difficulty of implementing technology in the public education sector |
Analyzing all this data, it is easy to see that artificial intelligence is a reality in the daily lives of Brazilian students, from simple language learning apps to the use of Chat GPT and other tools to solve doubts or help create schoolwork.
Undoubtedly, there are many benefits to this use, but there is also a long way to go in the country for artificial intelligence to be fully mastered and disseminated, and for students to be prepared to know how to use these tools in their favor, without risking becoming hostages to it.