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Most U.S. Teens Use AI for Schoolwork, Young Adults Grow Wary

Surveys reveal heavy teen reliance on chatbots, mixed effects on learning, rising young‑adult worry over job loss.

Overview

  • Common Sense Media’s Youth AI Safety Institute, which released its survey Tuesday, found 70% of U.S. teens ages 13–17 use AI for schoolwork.
  • Among teen AI users, 63% get an answer from the tool in some form with 25% using output as‑is, 31% rewriting it, and 35% improving it, while 77% report using AI to brainstorm, check work, or get feedback.
  • Many teens say AI helps them understand assignments but substantial shares report harms to learning: about 38% say AI stops them from having their own ideas and 39% say they miss out on learning when they use it.
  • Schools are unevenly prepared: only about 30% of teens recall teachers discussing safe AI use and 26% recall lessons on accuracy, and 44% have had tools blocked on school devices with 59% of those switching to personal devices.
  • A Pew survey shows 55% of adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AI and 71% of adults say AI will reduce jobs over the next 20 years, a shift that could widen hiring caution and shape school and workplace policies.