86% of US Kids Use AI — and Most Turn to It Before Adults for Homework Help

A landmark survey released June 8, 2026 by Common Sense Media reveals how deeply artificial intelligence has entered the lives of American children. The inaugural Census: AI Use by Tweens and Teens surveyed 1,204 kids ages 9 to 17 and found that AI is no longer a novelty — it is a daily study companion.

Key Findings

• 86% of children ages 9–17 have used generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini
• 85% of AI users have turned to it for schoolwork or homework
• Nearly 1 in 4 would ask a chatbot for help before a teacher, parent, or counselor
• ~50% use AI for schoolwork weekly; about 20% use it daily
• 16% of homework AI users say they struggle to start or finish work without AI
• More than 4 in 10 say no parent or guardian has ever talked to them about AI safety

AI Dependency Is Emerging

Common Sense Media CEO James P. Steyer called the findings a "pretty big wake-up call." As Education Week reported, students who find math difficult or have trouble focusing use AI for schoolwork more frequently than their peers. The pattern suggests AI is filling gaps that traditional support — tutoring, teacher attention, study skills — has not fully addressed.

Steyer warned of an emerging educational dependency: "Kids literally let AI do their homework for them, literally don't read the books or write the papers." Learning sticks when students do the work themselves, he emphasized — not when a chatbot spits out an answer.

The Guidance Gap

While 75% of students say their school communicated expectations about AI use this year, far fewer report receiving guidance on AI safety or how to judge whether AI information is accurate. Only 51% have been taught how to evaluate AI output for trustworthiness. The gap between usage and guidance is exactly what state legislatures are now trying to close with new AI-in-schools laws.

Using AI to Learn — Not to Skip Learning

The survey data does not mean AI is bad for education. Students report using AI for brainstorming, studying, and understanding difficult material — legitimate uses that mirror what good study apps are designed for. The risk is using AI as a replacement for thinking rather than a tool for deeper understanding.

Healthier AI study habits include:

• Using AI to summarize material you have already read or watched
• Generating practice quizzes to test yourself — not to get answers
• Explaining concepts in your own words after reviewing an AI summary (the Feynman Technique)
• Asking a teacher or parent when you are stuck — not only a chatbot

Sources: Common Sense Media Census: AI Use by Tweens and Teens (June 8, 2026), Education Week (June 2026).