Research on AI use in Yemeni universities finds that 95.8% of surveyed students use AI tools for educational purposes despite the ongoing conflict, with ChatGPT used by 78.9% of respondents. Students report that AI tools improve comprehension, provide immediate feedback, and support self-directed learning in conditions where conventional educational resources are unreliable. However, only 30% of public universities and 10% of private universities have established AI programmes. Students report using devices on generator schedules, sharing equipment, and relying on low-bandwidth applications.
Published by: The Borgen Project (international development journalism and policy analysis organisation), synthesising academic research on AI in Yemeni higher education.
Key finding: Students in conflict-affected Yemen are adopting AI tools for learning at high rates through individual initiative, without institutional frameworks, national policy, or infrastructure support. No national AI legislation or curriculum mandate exists as of May 2025.
Context: Yemen’s case illustrates that AI adoption among students does not depend on policy; students in some of the world’s most constrained environments find ways to access tools. What is absent is the institutional scaffolding — teacher training, minimum standards, ethics guidance — that determines whether adoption is effective and safe. The gap between individual AI use and institutional readiness is particularly acute in conflict and low-income contexts, where learners bear all the risk of navigating AI without support.