Teens in the AI Era: Schoolwork and Skills That Matter

Key Findings

• — 70% of US teens aged 13 to 17 use AI tools for schoolwork; among AI users 63% say they get an answer from AI at least sometimes, 25% use the answer as-is, and others edit it to sound like themselves.
• — Only 30% of teens report ever discussing with a teacher how to use AI safely (70% have not); 44% have had a teacher discuss when AI should and should not be used for schoolwork, and 27% what AI is or how it can support learning.
• — Among the 665 AI-using teens, multi-purpose tools are used by 68%, reading or writing assistants 41%, research tools 31%, image or video generators 20%, tutors 14%, and AI characters or companions (Character.ai, Janitor, Polybuzz named) 9%.
• — 44% of AI-using teens have had an AI tool blocked or banned on a school network or school-issued device; 59% of those used a personal device to access AI instead.
• — 35% of teens say either that AI is allowed but they do not understand the rules, that they have heard there are rules but do not know them, or that they are unsure; 23% say AI use is banned at their school and 9% that it has no rules.
• — 26% ask a teacher or parent for help when stuck and 25% try to work it out alone, against the majority who turn to AI; 39% feel using AI for schoolwork makes them a more successful student.

Methodology Notes

Probability-based NORC AmeriSpeak Teen Omnibus panel with a nonprobability sample integrated by a hybrid calibration method, n = 1,017 teens aged 13 to 17 in the 50 states and DC, interviews 30 April to 14 May 2026, margin of error plus or minus 4.3 percentage points at 95% including the design effect; AI-user base n = 665. Report dated 18 August 2026 on the landing page; the 23-page PDF was created 2026-08-12 and the questionnaire is published alongside. The landing page states 27% for the teacher-safety item while the PDF states 30%; the PDF figure is used here. Self-report; companion use is measured only in the context of schoolwork.

Sources