Artificial Intelligence (AI) is influencing the economy, culture, and daily life in the United States at an unprecedented rate. According to a recent survey conducted by a non-profit organization in California, approximately 56% of American teenagers aged 12 to 17 believe that AI will benefit society. However, parents are divided in their opinions, with around 45% seeing AI as beneficial and 45% as harmful.
Common Sense Media, an organization focused on education, commissioned a survey last November and recently released a research report. Jim Steyer, the founder and CEO, pointed out that AI emerged a few years ago and has now become omnipresent, seen as a powerful force that resides in our pockets, on our desks, and even in classrooms. He highlighted that children are using AI more frequently than parents realize.
The survey revealed that both parents and children agree that future life will heavily depend on AI as today’s children grow up. Concerns were raised about AI’s impact on employment and its potential for misuse of personal data and information.
Steyer emphasized that AI poses the biggest challenge we have faced so far and emphasized the importance of robust regulation, clear safety standards, and privacy protection measures across households with various political beliefs.
A total of 1,244 parents of children aged 12 to 17 participated in the survey, including 100 parents each from specific groups – African American, Latino, and Asian American. Additionally, 1,100 teenagers aged 12 to 17, including those from the aforementioned specific groups, took part in the survey.
Findings from the survey indicated that 53% of parents believe children use AI for homework, while children’s feedback reported 55%. 46% of parents think children use AI for creating images or videos, but only 39% of children do so. Surprisingly, while 42% of parents believe children search for information using AI, a high percentage of 59% of children are actually using AI to search for information, asking AI directly rather than using search engines like Google to input keywords.
Moreover, concerns were raised about ethics in using AI for homework. 52% of parents consider using AI to complete school assignments as unethical, while 52% of teenagers view it as an innovative practice that should be encouraged.
Parents are also worried about children’s ability to distinguish between interacting with AI and real human beings. While 70% of teenagers believe they can differentiate, only 42% of parents have faith in their children’s discernment.
Regarding safety risks associated with using AI, an average of 58% of parents have minimal knowledge of the safety of AI products for teenagers. Parents with young children tend to be more informed, with nearly three-quarters (73%) of parents with children over 18 stating they have little to no understanding.
Both parents and children express concerns about AI collecting personal information, with 81% of parents and 76% of teenagers worried about potential misuse of personal information by AI. Additionally, 78% of parents and 68% of teenagers are concerned about AI providing inaccurate or biased information.
Government regulation on AI is supported by approximately 75% of both parents and teenagers, indicating a lack of trust in companies prioritizing the safety of young people. Among underage respondents, 59% request labeling of AI-generated content, and 57% believe safety testing should be conducted before releasing AI tools to them.
Despite concerns about AI, 65% of parents hope their children will use AI to enhance the quality of application materials for vocational schools, apprenticeship programs, college applications, job interviews, or military enlistment after high school graduation. Surprisingly, 74% of teenagers express a more positive attitude, stating they would utilize AI to optimize application materials, while only 20% stated they would not use it.
In terms of AI’s impact on employment, both parents and teenagers generally agree that AI will pose challenges in the job market. 57% of parents believe AI will make it harder for their children to find jobs, whereas only 49% of teenagers share this sentiment. However, safety risks associated with using AI are a more significant concern than its impact on employment.
Overall, the survey highlighted various perspectives on AI among parents and teenagers, reflecting divergent views on its benefits and risks as it becomes increasingly integrated into daily life.