AI as a study partner in mathematics education: Evidence from a multi-program university survey

The rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) tools is fundamentally reshaping learning practices in higher education, particularly in mathematics and statistics courses. This study investigates how undergraduate students across multiple programs at IU International University engage with AI-based mathematics tools, which applications they prefer, and how they evaluate their performance. Drawing on survey data from 174 students enrolled in mathematics lectures during the spring term of 2025, we analyze awareness, usage intensity, and perceived usability, understandability, correctness, and value for money of leading AI tools. The results reveal a highly concentrated market structure: ChatGPT, Photomath, and Gemini dominate student awareness and usage. While ChatGPT is perceived as the most user-friendly and offers strong value for money, Photomath receives the highest ratings for correctness of results. Gemini, in contrast, is evaluated more cautiously across dimensions. Differences in awareness between mathintensive and non-math-intensive programs are small and statistically insignificant, suggesting that AI adoption in mathematics is broadly distributed across disciplines. The findings indicate that students integrate AI tools primarily as complementary learning aids rather than replacements for traditional materials. Overall, the study provides an empirical baseline for understanding how AI functions as a study partner in mathematics education and highlights the growing importance of evaluating not only usage frequency but also perceived reliability and pedagogical value.