Anonymous Survey App for Current University of Tokyo Students Surpasses 500 Registrations! Reveals 5 Real Data Insights: '93.4% Use Generative AI,' '89% Prefer Paper Books'

Carpe Di Em Inc. (Representative: Isshou Nishioka, Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo), which operates educational support services primarily for current University of Tokyo students, is pleased to announce that its anonymous survey app for current University of Tokyo students has surpassed 500 registrations.

The app aims to visualize the real academic lives, daily routines, and values of University of Tokyo students by distributing multiple themed surveys on a monthly basis.

From April to July 2026 alone—just the past four months—over 20 cumulative themes have been covered, including course registration, orientation camps, exam preparation, smartphone usage, romantic relationships, interpersonal dynamics, and family backgrounds, gathering thousands of responses.

To commemorate reaching 500 registered users, we are releasing five particularly interesting data points that reveal the authentic, unfiltered side of University of Tokyo students—insights that we believe will interest the general public.

Reference: Press release on the development of the University of Tokyo student survey app https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000022.000131166.html

5 Key 'Authentic' Data Points from 500 University of Tokyo Students

1. Generative AI Usage Rate Among Todai Students: 93.4%, with 65.3% Using It Regularly

"Use regularly": 65.3% / "Use several times a week": 15.9% / "Use occasionally": 11.4%. In total, 93.4% of University of Tokyo students use generative AI.

By tool, usage rates are Google Gemini: 43.8%, OpenAI ChatGPT: 36.8%, Anthropic Claude: 8.8%. While ChatGPT is generally considered dominant in Japan, Gemini leads among Todai students—a notable result (possibly influenced by the university's Google Workspace environment).

Primary uses include "assisting with reports and assignments" (20.9%), "information gathering and summarization" (20.1%), and "brainstorming" (14.4%), indicating that generative AI is primarily used as a learning aid.

2. 89.0% of Todai Students Prefer Paper Books, Only 11% Are E-Book Users

Despite being part of the digital native generation, students overwhelmingly prefer physical books (89.0%), with only 11.0% identifying as e-book users.

Even in note-taking, the "paper method" (53.9%) edges out the "digital method" (46.1%), suggesting a strong preference for the tactile experience of writing and flipping pages.

3. 78.6% Prefer Studying Alone, 82.5% Concentrate Best in Libraries

"Prefer studying alone": 78.6%, versus "prefer studying with others": only 21.4%.

For concentration, "library" leads with 82.5%, far surpassing "cafe" at 17.5%. Additionally, 52.6% prefer sitting in the back rows of classrooms, and decision-making styles are split exactly 50:50 between "intuitive" and "deliberative." These findings paint a picture of Todai students as individuals who prefer to work quietly, at their own pace, and with deep focus.

4. Post-Graduation Paths: Preference Shifts from Employment to Graduate School as Students Advance

When analyzing "post-graduation plans" by academic year, an interesting reversal emerges:

Academic Year

1st Choice

2nd Choice

1st-Year Students (n=122)

Employment 38.5%

Graduate School (Master's) 26.2%

2nd–4th-Year Students (n=113)

Graduate School (Master's) 46.9% ★ Reversal

Employment 32.7%

Graduate Students (n=34)

Employment 61.8%

Graduate School (PhD) 23.5%

Immediately after enrollment, the largest group aims for employment. However, from the second year onward, those wanting to "learn more" surpass job seekers, making Master's program enrollment the top choice. Among first-years, 16.4% answered "undecided," reflecting a thoughtful, deliberate approach to career planning.

Meanwhile, among graduate students, "employment" once again becomes the top choice at 61.8%, suggesting a high proportion follow the "standard path" of entering the workforce after completing a master's degree.

5. 82.7% of Todai Students Want to Get Married, but "Currently in a Relationship" Rates Vary Sharply by Academic Year

Regarding marriage, 64.6% answered "would like to eventually," 17.7% "would like if possible," and 0.4% "already married," totaling 82.7% expressing marriage intentions. As for children, 71.9% answered either "want" or "somewhat want."

Academic Year

"Currently in a Relationship" Rate

1st-Year Students

18.5%

2nd–4th-Year Students

44.2%

Graduate Students

50.0%

When examining relationship status by academic year, the rate of students currently in a relationship increases approximately 2.7-fold from first-years to graduate students—a trend that suggests "romantic relationships begin after entering Todai," as supported by the data.

Challenges and Future Directions for the Todai Student Survey

Current Challenges and Our Next Steps

While registrations have exceeded our initial expectations in speed, we are now receiving more survey requests from various parties than our operations team can currently handle. To ensure stable delivery of more surveys and better meet the needs of corporations and society, we will strengthen the following areas:

・ Enhancement of distribution and data aggregation infrastructure

・ Expansion of operational capacity

・ Development of customizable templates tailored to corporate needs

Ongoing Joint Surveys with Major Food and Stationery Manufacturers

We are currently conducting joint research (surveys + interviews) with major food and stationery manufacturers to understand the real-life conditions of University of Tokyo students.

We provide actionable insights for corporate product development and marketing, such as "What kind of daily diet do Todai students have?" and "Which stationery items are preferred as study companions?"

[Exclusive to This Press Release] Free Survey Planning and Distribution Campaign

We are offering the following campaign exclusively to those who view this press release.

For organizations or individuals who have a topic they'd like to explore with Todai students—such as "We'd like to ask Todai students about X"—we are offering a limited campaign for the first 10 applicants (companies or individuals) to use our survey planning and distribution services free of charge (only actual costs for app usage and student incentives apply).

● Application Period: Until Monday, August 31, 2026

● Eligibility: First 10 applicants (individuals or companies)

● Cost: Only actual costs for app usage and student incentives

● Contact: [email protected]

Please feel free to consult us on topics such as "Z世代 and Todai student consumption behavior," "reactions to new product concepts," "career aspirations," or "learning styles."

For Inquiries

Carpe Di Em Inc. Email: [email protected]

【Survey Overview】

・ Target: Current University of Tokyo students (undergraduate Year 1 to graduate students) registered on the app

・ Method: Online survey via smartphone or PC

・ Valid Responses: Welcome survey: 271–274 respondents (by academic year: 1st-year n=122–124, 2nd–4th-year n=113, graduate n=34); additional welcome survey: 154 respondents; monthly themed surveys: 105–185 respondents (April–July 2026)

・ Number of Registrants: 500 (as of July 2026)

・ Conducted by: Carpe Di Em Inc.