Kids who use AI can clearly name what they will and won’t hand over, and many see it as a tool, not a threat.
Interviews with kids aged 10 to 18 reveal mixed feelings about AI, from boredom to environmental worry. A Pew Research Center survey from February 2026 found that 57 percent of US teens used chatbots to search for information, 54 percent for schoolwork, and 47 percent for fun. Only 12 percent used them for emotional support.
MIT Technology Review editors spoke with kids aged 10 to 18 for this story. Many showed little interest in AI, while others avoid it due to environmental harm. Some teens told reporters they worry AI will end creativity and critical thinking, yet most admitted to using AI at least occasionally. Many kids first encountered AI through parents, schools, or the apps they already used.
Builders should treat AI as a skill to teach, not a threat to block. Teens are over four times more likely to use AI for innocuous purposes than potentially harmful ones. Designers and operators should focus on transparency, context, and control so young users can check answers and make their own choices.
Parents and schools already give many kids their first AI access. Some children build with AI, creating characters, platforms, and study tutors, while others want to keep control over their thinking and social lives. Watch for adults to learn boundary-setting from kids as AI tools spread.
What matters
- A Pew survey found 57 percent of US teens used chatbots for information and 54 percent for schoolwork.
- Builders should design AI for teens with teaching and safe exploration in mind, not fear-based blocks.
- Watch for more AI building tools as kids create characters, platforms, and tutors.
Why it matters
Watch for more AI building tools as kids create characters, platforms, and tutors.
This GenAI News article was prepared in original wording using reporting and materials published by MIT Technology Review AI. Source reference: https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/13/1141410/how-kids-feel-about-ai-own-words/.
Drafted by the GenAI News review pipeline.