Revealing the AI Gap: How U.S. Teens Outpace Their Parents in Generative AI Use and Understanding

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A new surge of concern regarding children and technology is emerging, as both parents and commentators delve deeper into the ways in which adolescents engage with smartphones, social media, and digital displays. Despite this, teenagers continue to adopt generative AI technologies. Recent studies shed light on the AI applications American teens are utilizing, their frequency of use, and the surprising lack of awareness among their parents regarding this issue.

According to a new report from Common Sense Media, 70% of American teenagers have utilized generative AI technologies. This finding comes from an analysis of survey responses collected from parents and high school students in the US from March to May 2024, aimed at evaluating the extent and pattern of AI usage among this age group. Over half of these students reported using AI-driven text generators and chatbots, including popular options like ChatGPT and Gemini, in addition to search engines that produce AI-generated outcomes. Approximately 34% of the participants have experimented with AI-powered image creators such as DALL-E, while 22% have engaged with video creation tools.

The study reveals that American teens are adopting artificial intelligence as quickly as their counterparts in the United Kingdom, according to findings by the Office of Communications which revealed that 80% of teenagers engaged with generative AI tools late last year. Furthermore, the rate at which they are embracing AI is increasing; a previous study conducted by Common Sense Media on teen AI usage, which gathered data towards the end of 2023, found that only about 50% of those surveyed had utilized generative AI.

The primary use of AI among teenagers was for educational purposes, with a significant majority utilizing it to assist with their homework, especially in generating new ideas. This trend was more prevalent among older teenagers as compared to their younger counterparts. The next popular reason for AI usage was to alleviate boredom, followed closely by its use in translating materials between languages. Additionally, one out of every five teenagers employed generative AI technologies for having fun and joking with peers.

The findings from the survey highlight the significant difficulties and confusion faced by educational bodies in handling the current situation. Around 60% of teenagers revealed that their schools either lacked policies on AI usage or they were unaware of any existing guidelines. There seems to be no consensus on whether AI should be accepted or prohibited in educational settings; an almost equal number of teens admitted to using AI without their teacher's consent as did those who said they used it with their teacher's approval. Over 80% of parents indicated that their child’s school had not communicated any information regarding the use of generative AI. A mere 4% mentioned that their schools had imposed bans on the use of generative AI. “Schools appear to be almost in a state of inaction,” according to Amanda Lenhart, the head of research at Common Sense.

Discussions between educators and their pupils regarding AI usage significantly influenced the youths' perceptions of the technology. Lenhart observes that young people genuinely absorb and comprehend the information, highlighting that those students who received guidance from their teachers better understood the functioning of the technology. They were also more inclined to verify its accuracy or detect if it was producing erroneous or fact-based content. "This has a substantial impact," she notes.

A significant insight from the research highlighted the lack of awareness among numerous parents regarding their children's use of generative AI. Just over a third (37 percent) of parents whose children utilized AI technologies knew about their usage. Almost one-fourth of these parents were mistakenly under the impression their children did not use AI tools. The majority of parents hadn't even broached the topic of AI with their offspring.

Almost 50% of the parents questioned expressed concerns that the introduction of generative AI technologies could negatively affect their children's ability to write and think critically. However, the outlook wasn't entirely bleak; there was a divided opinion among parents regarding the effect on research abilities, and over one-quarter believed that AI technologies would assist their children in coming up with ideas.

A noteworthy discovery reveals that teachers are over two times more likely to wrongfully suspect Black students of employing generative AI for their assignments than they are their white and Latino classmates. In such instances, educators frequently relied on AI detection tools to identify questionable submissions. The report highlights, “It appears that the application of AI detection technology, alongside how teachers implement it, could be intensifying pre-existing disciplinary imbalances affecting historically underrepresented groups, notably Black students.”

Nevertheless, both African American adolescents and their guardians express more positive attitudes towards the application of artificial intelligence in educational settings compared to their White and Latino counterparts. Furthermore, the research indicates that African American and Latino youths are more eager and innovative in their use of these technologies, showing considerably greater levels of engagement in a diverse array of activities. These range from generating humorous content for social sharing to employing AI for companionship. Notably, over a quarter of African American teens reported utilizing AI for company, a stark contrast to the 11 percent of White teens who did the same.

In summary, adolescents have varying opinions on artificial intelligence, but there is a notable consensus among them: Most believe it's essential to grasp how to utilize this technology. Over half of the surveyed students believe that from kindergarten to elementary school, children should be mandated to learn how to operate generative AI instruments.

Lenhart expresses understanding for the dilemma faced by educators and school officials who are at a loss for solutions, but she emphasizes the importance of initiating conversations on the matter, as indicated by the data. “Ignoring the issue and wishing it disappears is not an option,” she adds.

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