🎲 Almost One in Four Children Already Uses AI
In the UK, 22% of children reported using AI, according to researchers at the Alan Turing Institute and the Lego Foundation. They recently surveyed more than 800 schoolchildren aged 8-12 and over 1,000 teachers. The most popular generative AI tools among kids are ChatGPT, Gemini, and My AI from Snapchat.
🧩 At the same time, most children have never heard of the term "generative AI."
🧩 Children in private schools, as well as students with additional learning needs, use ChatGPT significantly more often. The students with learning difficulties say AI primarily helps them formulate their thoughts.
🧩 About half of children familiar with AI use bots for entertainment, such as creating funny pictures. Older children (11-12) turn to AI to search for information and help with homework.
🧩 76% of parents whose children regularly use AI approve of this. However, almost all worry that their children will encounter inappropriate content.
🧩 Around 75% of adults do not rule out that using AI impairs children's critical thinking.
🧩 Most teachers often catch students submitting AI-generated content as their own. At the same time, about 60% of teachers themselves use chatbots in their work.
The study's authors believe that since many pre-teens regularly interact with AI tools created for a more adult audience, developers should consider children's needs and interests and engage them during the design, development, and deployment of GenAI.
