<![CDATA[The growing integration of generative artificial intelligence in higher education has created new opportunities for learning while also raising concerns about students’ increasing reliance on AI-based tools. ChatGPT is widely used to explain complex concepts, generate ideas, support academic tasks, and provide feedback, making it important to distinguish productive utilization from technological dependence. This study aimed to examine the level of ChatGPT dependence among Generation Z students and to describe how ChatGPT is utilized as a learning tool. A quantitative descriptive design was employed with 102 students selected through proportional stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire measuring ChatGPT dependence and learning-related utilization and were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that students’ dependence on ChatGPT was heterogeneous, with moderate dependence emerging as the most frequent category while a notable proportion of students also demonstrated higher levels of reliance. In contrast, ChatGPT utilization as a learning tool was more concentrated at the moderate level, indicating that regular academic use does not necessarily reflect an equivalent level of dependence. These findings highlight an important conceptual distinction between utilization and dependence, as students may use ChatGPT frequently while still maintaining control over their learning, verifying information, and completing tasks independently. The results also suggest that dependence should be understood not only through frequency of use but also through perceived need, learning reliance, and the ability to regulate AI use. The study concludes that higher education institutions should strengthen AI literacy, self-regulation, critical evaluation, and responsible use so that ChatGPT supports learning without replacing students’ independent reasoning, academic judgment, and autonomy.]]>
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