What parents say about their teen’s AI use | Pew Research Center

Parents' Perspectives on Teen AI Chatbot Use

• Survey Scope: Pew Research Center surveyed 1,458 U.S. parents of teens (ages 13–17) in fall 2025 regarding AI chatbot usage.
• Awareness vs. Reality:
  • Over 90% of parents have heard of AI chatbots.
  • 51% of parents believe their teen uses chatbots, while 18% say they do not, and 31% are unsure.
  • Perception Gap: There is a 13-percentage-point discrepancy between parent estimates (51%) and actual teen-reported usage (64%).
• Parent-Teen Communication:
  • Slightly over 50% of parents report having discussed chatbots with their teens.
  • Roughly 40% of parents have never had these discussions.
• Acceptable Uses (Parental Approval):
  • High Approval: Searching for information (80%), entertainment (66%), creating/editing media (66%), summarizing content (66%).
  • Moderate Approval: Schoolwork (60%), getting news (50%).
  • Low Approval: Casual conversation (<33%), emotional support/advice (18%).
• Demographic Variations:
  • Income: Higher-income households are more likely to report teen chatbot usage and more likely to have discussed it with their teens. They are also more comfortable with using AI for information and entertainment, whereas lower-income households are more comfortable with teens using AI for emotional support.
  • Race/Ethnicity: Black parents expressed higher levels of comfort with teens using chatbots for news, emotional support, and summarizing materials compared to White or Hispanic parents.