Understanding Perceptions and Use of AI in K-12 Education Using a Nationally Representative Sample

The rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has sparked widespread concern about their potential impacts on young people. As these tools become more common in schools and homes, parents and teachers are looking for guidance on how to use them safely and responsibly. Policymakers and the companies that create these tools also need clear advice on how to ensure AI is designed for and used ethically with young people. To help answer these questions, we conducted a nationally representative study involving parents, teachers, and teenagers across the United States. We wanted to understand how they feel about AI, how they use it, and what their experiences are. Our research provides new insights into how both teens and adults view and interact with AI. For example:

Almost half (45%) of teens reported using AI tools like ChatGPT recently, while more specialized tools, such as image generators and mental health chatbots, were less commonly used (10-28%). However, relatively few teens (17%) reported using AI tools frequently in their daily routines.

Few teens reported negative academic and social impacts resulting from their use of generative AI, such as getting into trouble at school or conflicts with parents or peers (< 6%). Most teens (69%) reported that generative AI had helped them learn something new.

AI experiences, supports, and perceived impacts did not vary widely across teens from lower versus higher socioeconomic backgrounds, suggesting that, at present, AI may not be significantly widening existing inequalities in these areas.

Parents expressed mixed feelings about AI in education, with many highlighting its potential to enhance learning while expressing concerns about potential impacts on how their teens think, make decisions, and interact with others.

Parents, teachers, and teens preferred learning tools that involved human versus AI teachers, emphasizing the important of teacher-student interactions and concerns about over-reliance on AI for instruction.

Open Source Protocol

Sample publications:

NSF Award: 2334172: Understanding Perceptions and Use of AI in K-12 Education Using a Nationally Representative Sample

Rubin et al. 2025. White Paper. Navigating AI as a Family: Caregivers’ Perspectives and Strategies.

Dickerson et al. under review. Is there a Digital Divide in Adolescent AI Use? Evidence from Adolescents and Teachers.

Min et al. under review. Perceptions of AI-Driven EdTech: Nationwide Survey and Focus Group Insights from Key End Users.