Artificial intelligence is becoming more of a staple in the lives of teenagers, but there are indications that parents might not realize the extent to which the technology has become ubiquitous in their children’s lives.
The Pew Research Center released the results of a survey showing that American teenagers are increasingly using AI in their everyday routines — especially for schoolwork, emotional support, and other uses.
The survey found that 64 percent of U.S. teens between 13 and 17 say they use AI chatbots. About three in 10 report using them every day. The report found that 54 percent of teens use the technology for schoolwork with 44 percent saying they use it for at least some or a little of their assignments.
About 57 percent of teens said they use AI to look up information, 48 percent use it to research specific topics, 43 percent use it to solve math problems while 35 percent said they use it to improve or edit their writing.
But it’s not all about doing homework.
Researchers learned that teenagers also use AI for fun and to create or edit images and videos. Indeed, 47 percent said they use AI for entertainment while 42 percent said they use it to summarize information.
Children's drawings brought to life by AIpic.twitter.com/NHPNa4kzLi
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) June 2, 2025
On a more troubling note, up to 60 percent of teens admitted to using the technology to cheat at least somewhat often. The survey’s findings suggest that artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly active role in children’s lives, with many saying they use it to get news and to help with creative tasks.
A significant percentage (12 percent) of teenagers indicated they use AI chatbots for emotional support or advice, meaning that they are turning to algorithms to help with their personal issues.
Dr. Amber W. Childs, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, told CBS News that parents need to know if their children are relying on AI “in the absence of other sources of information or coping skills and support.”
I was surprised by the number of parents who were ok with their teens using generative AI for school work - about 6 in 10 parents.https://t.co/REx0bNQ0PD#edtech #kidtech #AI
— Derek E. Baird (@derekeb) February 25, 2026
Pew also conducted a companion survey of parents, which revealed even more alarming results. About half of parents say their teens use AI, compared to 64 percent of teens who acknowledged using the technology.
This suggests that a significant share of parents are not aware of how their children are using AI.
The survey also found that children using AI for emotional support is the only case where a majority of parents say they are uncomfortable.
Yet, teens relying on AI for schoolwork might be more of an issue than it seems. A Cambridge University Press and Microsoft Research study found that students who took notes without AI assistance showed better reading comprehension than those who used AI tools.
This raises concerns about an overreliance on automation in the classroom. This was an inevitable outcome. As AI becomes more prevalent in our lives, people will have to strike a balance between using AI to the point that they are unable, or unwilling, to think for themselves and not using it at all.
There are ways to use artificial intelligence without becoming dumber. The key is using it more as a tool to gather information than a crutch to solve our problems or accomplish tasks.
But in the case of children, it requires more parental involvement to steer their kids in the right direction, which means more parents need to be educated on the issue.