Most research on generative AI (GenAI) in higher education has centered on 4-year universities, leaving California’s 116 community colleges largely out of the national conversation and the data shaping GenAI policy. Yet real barriers, from unclear or inconsistent instructor policies and low trust in GenAI outputs to uneven access to paid tools, stand between students and safe, effective use.

This report from WestEd shares what 3,595 California Community College (CCC) students say about GenAI. It finds students approaching GenAI with caution rather than wholesale adoption, higher use among older students than younger ones, and a clearer ask for course-level policy and guidance than for discounted premium tools. Faculty, administrators, system leaders, policymakers, funders, and researchers will find student-grounded evidence to shape GenAI policy and support.