Most kids have at least some understanding of what generative artificial intelligence is and how it can be used, but they also want more help from adults in learning how to use the tools properly, concludes .
Before being given a description of AI, most 9- to 17-year-olds were able to express what they think it is and what it can do, the report found. One kid said that AI is 鈥渁ble to learn and train to do specific tasks,鈥� and another said that it can make everyday processes 鈥渕ore efficient and effective.鈥�
The nationally representative survey of 1,510 children ages 9-17 was conducted by Hart Research, with support from Microsoft, between Nov. 5-16. It explores knowledge and use of AI technology, specifically generative AI tools like ChatGPT.
Joe Fatheree, an education consultant and a former Illinois State Teacher of the Year, said he was 鈥渟tunned鈥� to see the results that 9- to 17-year-olds are knowledgeable about AI because it鈥檚 a 鈥�180-degree difference from what I鈥檓 seeing in the field.鈥�
鈥淚 find very few [students] who can have very in-depth discussions on what AI is and what it鈥檚 not. I find that among staff and administration, too,鈥� he added.
How much kids know about AI
But Hannah Jones, 17, a high school senior at Gordon Central High School in Calhoun, Ga., said the majority of her peers do have a basic understanding of the technology.
鈥淚t was something that we all discovered really quickly, and I think that鈥檚 probably because of the social media presence鈥攑eople posting about it,鈥� Hannah said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say they have a ton of knowledge,鈥� unless they鈥檙e more techy like her, but they do have some understanding of it.
Hannah鈥檚 experiences align with the survey results, which found that only 8 percent of the survey respondents say they know 鈥渁 great deal鈥� about generative AI.
Today鈥檚 students have grown up in a world where AI technology is embedded into the tools they use daily. Experts say AI is going to become more ubiquitous, so students need to become AI literate and prepare for a future where it is all around them.
鈥淧reparing young people for the workforce of the future means ensuring that they have a solid understanding of these new technologies that are reshaping our world,鈥� Jill Bramble, the president and CEO of the National 4-H Council, said in a press release.
Hannah is learning and teaching about AI as part of the National 4-H Council鈥檚 Tech Changemakers program. She鈥檚 also heard about it from her high school teachers, as well as the college professors in her dual-enrollment classes. But she hasn鈥檛 had explicit instruction on AI in those settings.
While many students are aware of various AI-powered tools and platforms, they don鈥檛 use them that often, the survey found. The only tools that a huge majority of kids use daily are search engines. Only 12 percent said they use apps daily that answer questions or write text, a category that ChatGPT would fall under鈥攂ut 51 percent use them at least once a week. Those who have used ChatGPT say that they鈥檝e mostly used it out of curiosity and to help with homework, the report found.
Hannah said she uses AI 鈥渏ust about every day.鈥� For her coding class, she sometimes checks her code using ChatGPT to see what errors she鈥檚 making. But she said she doesn鈥檛 let it do the whole problem for her. She has also used AI tools to double-check the grammar and structure of her essays.
Students want more AI guidance from their teachers
However, one-third of those surveyed said they鈥檙e not clear about the right way to use ChatGPT as a tool and want teachers to be more involved in guiding them. More generally, 72 percent say they would like to get some help from adults in learning how to use different AI tools, the report found.
These results echo a recent report from the Center for Democracy & Technology that found a wide gap between what students say they want to learn about how to use artificial intelligence responsibly and what schools are teaching them right now.
鈥淚 definitely had to teach myself,鈥� Hannah said, 鈥渂ecause I didn鈥檛 have a lot of outside people telling me, 鈥楾his is how you use ChatGPT.鈥� The professors mention it, but I wouldn鈥檛 say they necessarily teach you how to use it. So that鈥檚 kind of been a learning curve for me.鈥�
Fatheree, who is pursuing a doctorate with a focus on AI in education, said students often ask him questions such as: How does it work? Is there just one AI? When, where, and how do we use it?
The National 4-H Council survey also found that kids are aware of the benefits and drawbacks of generative AI. A majority (64 percent) said AI will help them in their future careers, but they also realize that it could hinder their problem-solving skills and pose data privacy challenges.
鈥淚t would be nice for there to be more educational opportunities about it,鈥� Hannah said. 鈥淐hatGPT, those kinds of things, are going to be around our whole lives and we鈥檙e probably going to use them in our careers.鈥�
