Children and teens turn to AI for homework, health and personal advice before seeking help from adults

Nearly 9 in 10 children and teens aged 9 to 17 use artificial intelligence, with a quarter interacting with the technology daily, according to a new national survey of 1,204 youths by Common Sense Media. This widespread adoption highlights a critical shift in how young people seek help, often turning to AI for schoolwork, health questions, and personal advice before consulting teachers or parents.

Schoolwork and dependency concerns

About a quarter of children said they would ask AI for help with assignments before seeking guidance from a teacher, counselor, or parent. Students who reported struggling with math skills, writing essays, or challenging tasks were more likely to use AI weekly or more frequently for schoolwork. "You can exploit AI to do all your assignments from school, and use multiple AIs to make it look handmade," one respondent said.

Emotional reliance and safety gaps

Researchers identified emerging signs of emotional reliance alongside academic dependency. Twenty percent of children who use AI said it would be difficult to stop using the technology for a month, a figure that rises to 42 percent among daily users. Children who reported feeling lonelier were more likely to use AI for social and emotional support, and those having a harder time making friends used chatbots to practice social skills.

The survey also revealed significant gaps in AI for Education. Nearly half of the children had not discussed AI safety with parents or teachers, and only about a third correctly understood that AI cannot reliably distinguish true and false information. When a chatbot showed inappropriate content to one in six children who use AI, most did not report the incident to a trusted adult.

Many children also reported understanding the technology better than the adults in their lives. "Adults seem to have a hard time knowing which videos or reels are real or AI. I have to tell my mom it's fake a lot," one respondent said.

Why this matters for educators and researchers

The data indicates that students are integrating AI into their daily routines faster than school safety protocols can adapt. Because students frequently bypass educators for homework help, there is a clear need for an AI Learning Path for Teachers to equip them with the literacy tools required to guide students. Establishing clear classroom guidelines and fostering open conversations about AI limitations will help young people develop healthy coping skills rather than defaulting to algorithmic advice for personal challenges.