Natural language processing, within artificial intelligence applications, has gained relevance in the academic context, as well as some concern regarding its use. This study explores the use of ChatGPT and how it can be applied to support and enhance teaching and learning in higher education. An activity and survey of undergraduate students was conducted to assess their prior knowledge and experience with the tool, as well as to identify perceived difficulties and benefits of using it. The results indicate that (a) ChatGPT can be useful for complementing research and learning in various areas of knowledge and (b) most of the students are conscious about the potential of this tool and the ethical implications of using it. Therefore, both the benefits and limitations of using the tool in the academic context are examined and ethical implications are discussed. Overall, this work provides a deeper understanding of how ChatGPT can be used to enhance higher education and how it can be improved to better suit the needs of students, provided it is used responsibly and ethically.