Most US teens and tweens now use AI, and most use it for schoolwork, Common Sense Media finds
Common Sense Media’s June 2026 census found 86% of US kids aged 9-17 use AI, and 85% of AI users use it for schoolwork, with signs of dependency.
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels
AI use among teens and tweens is now near-universal in the United States, according to a Common Sense Media census released on 8 June 2026 that found 86% of children aged 9 to 17 use AI, with 85% of those users turning to it for schoolwork or homework. The report, “The Common Sense Media Census: AI Use by Tweens and Teens,” is the first annual output of the organisation’s Youth AI Safety Institute and draws on a nationally representative survey of 1,204 children.
The findings describe a technology that has entered childhood faster than social media did, alongside gaps in how schools and parents prepare young people to use it. “AI is already a part of childhood in a way I think maybe people haven’t really grappled with yet,” said Michael Robb, head of research at Common Sense Media.
AI use among teens: what the census measured
The survey was conducted by SSRS through its Opinion Panel and fielded between 18 and 26 March 2026, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 points. Common Sense Media established the Youth AI Safety Institute in May 2026 as an independent research and testing group focused on children and AI, and plans to run the census regularly.
Reported use rises with age, from 81% of 9- to 12-year-olds to 92% of 16- to 17-year-olds. About 24% of all children use AI daily; daily use reaches 29% among 13- to 17-year-olds. Most children first meet AI through automatic search-engine summaries, used by 75% of children, and chatbots, used by 67%; the single most-used tool is ChatGPT at 40%, followed by Google’s AI at 24%.
| Age group | Share who have used AI |
|---|---|
| 9–12 | 81% |
| 13–15 | 89% |
| 16–17 | 92% |
| All 9–17 | 86% |
Source: Common Sense Media, “AI Use by Tweens and Teens”, 2026 (n = 1,204).
What kids use AI for
Among the children who use AI, entertainment leads, but schoolwork is close behind. The report finds 85% of AI users apply it to schoolwork or homework, with 48% doing so at least weekly and 21% daily. Daily schoolwork use climbs from 12% among 9- to 12-year-olds to 30% among 16- to 17-year-olds.
Beyond academics, 40% of AI users have used the technology to practice conversations or social skills, and 37% have used it to discuss feelings or personal problems. About half of children say AI will have an equally positive and negative effect on their futures.
Signs of AI dependency
The report records early markers of reliance. One in five AI users (20%) say going a month without AI would be very or somewhat hard, a figure that rises to 42% among the heaviest users. Among children who use AI for homework, 16% say they have trouble starting or finishing assignments without it, climbing to 28% among daily homework users.
The survey also found that nearly a quarter of children would turn to an AI chatbot for schoolwork help before asking a trusted adult such as a teacher, counsellor, or parent. On health or body questions, 12% would ask AI before a trusted adult, rising to 27% among daily AI users. The report does not establish cause and effect; it notes, for example, that children who use AI daily were more likely to report feeling lonely, but states the survey cannot determine the direction of that link. This learning-and-reliance tension echoes evidence that AI can raise grades but hurt learning, per the OECD.
A gap between AI rules and AI literacy
Schools are setting expectations faster than they are teaching judgement, the census suggests. About 73% of children say their school or teacher told them when they may use AI for schoolwork this year, but fewer report being taught to use it safely (56%) or to judge whether AI output is accurate or trustworthy (51%). Among parents and guardians, 56% have not discussed AI safety with their child.
“Schools are starting to set some rules, but they’re less consistent around teaching AI literacy,” Robb said, pointing to accuracy, bias, and privacy as areas where students need guidance. The pattern mirrors questions about classroom readiness raised in coverage of how the U.S. Department of Education frames AI in schools and the WEF AI readiness framework for education. Safety reports add to the case: among children who use chatbots, 17% saw content they felt was not appropriate for their age, and of those, only 33% told a trusted adult while 53% did not.
Struggling students lean on AI more
The census found heavier AI use among children who report difficulty with schoolwork or socialising. Of children who use AI and find maths hard, 55% use it weekly for schoolwork, compared with 46% of those who do not find maths difficult. Among children who say they have trouble focusing on assignments, 56% use AI weekly for schoolwork, against 45% of those who do not; for children who find writing essays hard, the split is 53% versus 46%. The report frames this as a signal to watch rather than proof that AI causes or fixes academic struggle.
About Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media is a non-profit organisation founded in 2003 and based in San Francisco that rates media and technology for families and publishes research on how young people use media and technology, including its long-running census reports on youth media use. In May 2026 it launched the Youth AI Safety Institute as an independent research and testing group focused on children and AI. “AI Use by Tweens and Teens” is that institute’s inaugural report, and the organisation says it will repeat the survey to track how quickly AI use among teens and tweens — and the rules and literacy around it — continue to change.
Sources: Common Sense Media; Education Week; EdSource
Featured image: photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels (free Pexels license).
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I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
