The AI tool OneTutor was used in 84 courses at ten Bavarian universities during the summer semester of 2025 and was the subject of an empirical study conducted by bidt. The study’s findings are based on surveys of up to around 1,000 students and 31 lecturers, as well as on usage data from the system.
A large majority of 80% of the students surveyed in the courses actively used the AI tutor. The tool is particularly valued for targeted exam preparation, identifying gaps in knowledge and in-depth engagement with course content. Around 68% of users state that OneTutor makes them feel well prepared for exams. At the same time, the study shows that OneTutor is primarily used as a supplementary tool. Traditional learning materials such as lecture notes remain a helpful resource for exam preparation for around 90% of students. Furthermore, there is little difference in perceived learning outcomes between users and non-users. Depending on their personal learning preferences, students achieve comparably good learning outcomes even without AI. This underscores the role of AI systems as flexible, needs-based learning aids.
Generative AI has long since arrived in higher education, with the vast majority of students already using such tools. Our findings show that AI works primarily as a meaningful complement to teaching, for example in exam preparation, in understanding difficult content, or in supporting individual learning pace. At the same time, it remains an optional tool, as students choose different paths to success depending on their learning preferences.
Dr. Roland A. Stürz To the profile
Lecturers, too, view the use of OneTutor predominantly positively: 90% see the tool as a useful addition to teaching methods, and 80% to their own teaching practice. 84% of lecturers would use OneTutor again, even though its initial use was time-consuming. The results suggest that generative AI does not fundamentally replace traditional forms of learning, but rather gradually enhances them. AI tutors therefore offer new opportunities for personalised learning – but their benefits are realised most effectively when used in conjunction with existing teaching formats.
The study was conducted as part of the ‘AIffectiveness’ project, which investigates the use of AI tools in higher education.
The collaboration between ten partner universities in Bavaria, the start-up OneTutor, and bidt is a strong example of how innovation, practical application, and research can work together successfully. This interplay is a genuine role model for how new AI technologies can be put into practice while being evaluated from a societal perspective at the same time.
Dr. Roland A. Stürz To the profile
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