Just 4 percent of young Americans using AI often: Survey

Only 4 percent of young Americans say they use generative artificial intelligence (AI) almost daily or every day, according to a report on those aged 14-22 released Monday.

The report includes the results of a NORC survey, conducted for Hopelab and Common Sense Media in fall of last year, that shows 51 percent of young Americans say they have used AI at some point in their lives, while 41 percent say they have never used AI tools, and 8 percent say they don’t know what AI tools are.

Among the roughly half who have used AI at some point, 4 percent use it the most often, 11 percent say they use AI once or twice weekly, 12 percent say once or twice monthly, 7 percent say once or twice yearly and 17 percent say once or twice ever.

Among those who say they have ever used AI, 53 percent say they do so to get information, 51 percent to brainstorm ideas, 46 percent for help with schoolwork, 31 percent to make pictures or images, 17 percent for help in their job, 16 percent to make sounds or music, 15 percent to write code and 8 percent for something else.

Among those who have not used generative AI tools, 34 percent say they don’t think AI would “be helpful to me,” 24 percent say it’s because AI is associated with cheating or stealing the work of others, 23 percent say it’s because they don’t know how, 22 percent say they are concerned about privacy and sharing information, 20 percent say they didn’t know AI tools existed, 17 percent say they heard AI tools are inaccurate or biased, 13 percent say they don’t think AI would be fun to use, 10 percent say they don’t have access to AI tools and 8 percent gave another reason.

AI tools have exploded in recent years and have begun to reshape the education and job landscapes. Schools have had to adapt their curricula to account for the pervasiveness and easy access of the AI tools, while workers have similarly had to adapt amid concerns they will be replaced.

The survey was conducted among 1,274 young people and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5.9 percentage points.