How do young people feel about AI? 7 teens weigh in
Teen Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence: A Generation Navigates the Digital Revolution
When AI Becomes a Conversation Partner
How do young people feel about - For fifteen-year-old Charles Ansevin, who resides in Gates Mills, Ohio, the experience of interacting with artificial intelligence goes far beyond mere utility. He describes his relationship with ChatGPT as something resembling a genuine friendship. Through regular exchanges, he has discovered that the platform enables substantive intellectual dialogue. "We've been able to have very meaningful, you know, intelligent discussions," he explains, highlighting how AI has become a companion for thoughtful conversation rather than just a tool for quick answers.
Yet not every teenager shares this positive outlook. Dorian Prado, a sixteen-year-old from Fort Worth, Texas, holds a decidedly different position. He identifies himself as strongly opposed to the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence technologies. His concerns center on cognitive development and the potential erosion of critical thinking skills. "It makes it to where thinking is optional, and that should never be the case," Prado asserts with conviction. He believes that when students rely too heavily on AI-generated responses, they bypass the essential mental processes that drive learning. "You don't think, you don't learn. It's making us dumber," he concludes, capturing a sentiment shared by many educators and parents.
Adult Debates Meet Youth Realities
The emergence of generative artificial intelligence has ignited passionate discussions among adults regarding appropriate applications and limitations. However, the question of how young people actually experience this technological shift in their daily lives has received less attention. To address this gap, NPR reached out to seven teenagers from various regions across the United States to explore their personal experiences and opinions.
Tessa Klein, an eighteen-year-old who recently completed high school in Oradell, New Jersey, represents the optimistic perspective. She has found artificial intelligence to be genuinely beneficial in her academic journey. The technology has offered valuable feedback on her written assignments and helped clarify challenging scientific concepts that previously seemed difficult to grasp. Klein views AI as an equalizer in education. "I think it's just this opportunity to have sort of like a private tutor that maybe other students cannot have or cannot afford," she notes, emphasizing how AI can democratize access to personalized learning support.
Concerns Beyond the Classroom
While Klein sees AI primarily as an educational resource, eighteen-year-old Dammie'on McColley from Indianapolis perceives its impact on a much larger scale. For him, artificial intelligence presents significant concerns that extend well beyond homework assistance. His worries focus on economic consequences and employment security. "I don't want it to, you know, kind of throw off jobs and things like that," McColley expresses. He recognizes that many families depend entirely on traditional employment for their livelihood. "That's [people's] only way of bringing in income to feed their families. And if we have a machinery that's taking over that, then what are they going to do?" His perspective reveals a generation acutely aware of how technological advancement can reshape entire industries and communities.
In addition to these featured voices, NPR conducted interviews with Ethan Ansevin from Gates Mills, Rida Desai from River Edge, New Jersey, and Natalie Vadakkan, also from Oradell, New Jersey. Listeners can access their complete responses by following the audio link provided with the original report.
Supporting Youth Voices
This comprehensive exploration of teenage perspectives was made possible through the generous support of the Omidyar Network's Reporters in Residence program. The editorial team, including Nicole Cohen, and the audio production specialists, Lauren Migaki and Janet Woojeong Lee, ensured that these young voices were presented clearly and authentically to audiences worldwide.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve at a rapid pace, understanding how the generation that will inherit this technology feels about it becomes increasingly important. These seven teenagers offer a diverse range of viewpoints—from enthusiasm and appreciation to caution and concern—demonstrating that young people are not passive observers but active participants in shaping how AI integrates into society. Their insights provide valuable context for educators, policymakers, and technology developers who are working to create tools that serve rather than replace human capability.