Parents Misjudge Teens’ AI Use
Wednesday, 2026/03/25232 words3 minutes383 reads
A pair of surveys from the Pew Research Center and Common Sense Media points to a pronounced mismatch between parental assumptions and teenagers’ self-reported AI use. Pew questioned 1,458 US teens (13–17) and their parents and found that 64% of teens said they use chatbots, while only 51% of parents believed their child does. Compounding the discrepancy, roughly four in ten parents reported never having discussed AI with their children, suggesting a systemic communication shortfall within families.
Teen usage is often conventional: looking information up, researching, and getting help with maths and writing. About one in ten teens said they do all or most of their schoolwork with AI assistance, even as many teachers encourage limited, learning-focused use. Teens also report entertainment uses, such as generating images.
More contentious, however, is social and emotional reliance. Pew found 12% of teens use AI for advice or emotional support and 16% for casual conversation, numbers that still translate into millions of children if representative. Parents’ unease concentrates on “companionship,” and professional guidance emphasizes monitoring red flags—particularly when AI begins to displace sleep, school, or real friendships, or when it becomes a primary confidant. The studies also reported racial disparities in emotional-support use, with Pew noting higher rates among Black teens than Hispanic or White teens. Across findings, researchers argue parents need not have perfect answers, but they do need to initiate informed, ongoing conversations.
