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Kids AI Use Statistics 2026: The Common Sense Census by Age
Kids AI use statistics 2026 from Common Sense Media's two censuses, age by age: who uses chatbots at 9, 11 and 13, how often, and what it means for parents.
More than a third of 9-year-olds have already used an AI chatbot. By 13, nearly three-quarters have. Those two numbers, from Common Sense Media’s 2026 census released October 27, are the most useful kids AI use statistics 2026 has produced so far, because they show when use starts, not just that it’s common.
There’s a catch most coverage skipped. Common Sense ran two different national surveys this year, with different questions and different headline numbers: 86% in one, 65% in the other. Both are right. This article untangles them, lays out the numbers age by age in one table, and explains what each stage means for how you talk about AI at home.
Key Takeaways
- 36% of 9-year-olds, 55% of 11-year-olds and 73% of 13-year-olds have used an AI chatbot, per Common Sense’s October 2026 census of 1,211 kids.
- Counting every kind of AI, including search summaries, 86% of kids 9 to 17 use it, and 24% use it daily, per the June 2026 census of 1,204 kids.
- Daily AI use for schoolwork more than doubles from the 9–12 group (12%) to ages 16–17 (30%).
- Kids use AI a lot but don’t love it: only 11% of teen users and 15% of tween users enjoy it “a lot.”
- 44% of kids say no parent has talked to them about using AI safely.
Two Censuses, Two Questions: Why the Numbers Differ
Kids AI use statistics depend on what you count as AI and what you count as use. Common Sense published two 2026 surveys, both run with nationally representative samples of US kids aged 9 to 17.
The June census (“AI Use by Tweens and Teens,” released June 8, 2026) was conducted by SSRS from March 18 to 26, 2026, among 1,204 kids. It counted any AI interaction, including Google’s AI summaries, writing assistants and chatbots. That broad definition produces the 86% figure.
The October census (“Tech and Media Use by Tweens and Teens,” summarized October 27, 2026) surveyed 1,211 kids about their whole media lives. It asked about AI used in their free time and about chatbots or companions specifically. That produces 65% for free-time AI use, including 77% of teens.
So when a headline says “86%” and another says “65%,” they aren’t contradicting each other. One includes the AI summary your child scrolls past on a search; the other doesn’t.
Kids AI Use Statistics 2026, Age by Age
| Measure | Ages 9–12 (tweens) | Ages 13–15 | Ages 16–17 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use any form of AI | 81% | 89% | 92% | June census |
| Use AI daily | 17% | 29% (ages 13–17) | 29% (ages 13–17) | June census |
| Have used an AI chatbot | 58% | 71% | 77% | June census |
| Use AI for schoolwork daily | 12% | 24% | 30% | June census |
| Parent has talked about AI safety | 53% | 57% (ages 13–17) | 57% (ages 13–17) | June census |
| Use AI at least weekly (free time) | 26% | 47% (all teens) | 47% (all teens) | October census |
| Enjoy AI “a lot” (among users) | 15% | 11% (all teens) | 11% (all teens) | October census |
And single-year snapshots from the October census for chatbots or companions: 36% of 9-year-olds, 55% of 11-year-olds and 73% of 13-year-olds have used one.
The June report’s full PDF adds which tools dominate. AI summaries in search results are the most widely used form, touched by 75% of kids. When asked which AI they use most often, 40% named ChatGPT and 24% named Google’s AI products.
What the Numbers Mean at Each Stage
Ages 9 and 10: the first contact
At 9, about a third of kids have used a chatbot, often well before the minimum age of 13 that services like ChatGPT set in their terms. The surveys don’t say how that first contact happens; a sibling’s device, a search summary or an assistant inside another app are all plausible routes. At this age, the main thing to establish is that AI is a computer program that predicts words, not a person, and that a grown-up should be nearby.
Ages 11 and 12: the steep part of the curve
By 11, more than half have used a chatbot. This is the stage where use shifts from novelty to tool. Kids who struggle with focus or a subject are more likely to use AI for schoolwork weekly: the June census found 56% of kids who have a hard time staying focused do so, against 45% of kids who don’t. This is the age to set homework norms before habits harden.
Ages 13 to 15: daily use arrives
At 13, nearly three in four have used a chatbot, and 24% of 13- to 15-year-olds use AI for schoolwork daily. Personal uses grow too. Among all AI users, 57% have asked it about health or their body and 37% have discussed feelings or personal problems with it. Of those who discussed feelings, a quarter said they sometimes feel AI “understands them better than most people do.”
Ages 16 and 17: near-universal, and habitual
At 16 and 17, 92% use some form of AI and 30% use it daily for schoolwork. Signs of dependence show up among the heaviest users: 42% of daily users say going a month without AI would be very or somewhat hard. Among kids who use AI for homework, 16% say they have trouble starting or finishing it without AI.
The Numbers Parents Should Screenshot
Use is high, enthusiasm is low
The October census found AI has “the widest gap between use and enjoyment” of any screen media measured. Only 4% named ChatGPT as the platform they couldn’t live without, compared with 66% of tweens and 32% of teens for YouTube. For parents, that’s good news: kids treat AI as a utility more than an obsession, which leaves room for rules.
Lonely kids lean on it more
In the June census, 54% of daily AI users said they feel lonely at least some of the time, against 33% of kids who use AI less than monthly. The survey can’t say which comes first. Loneliness may drive AI use, AI use may deepen loneliness, or both may stem from something else. Our look at AI companions and kids’ emotional needs covers the research on that question.
Most kids don’t report bad experiences
Among chatbot users, 17% said an AI had shown or said something they felt “wasn’t OK or wasn’t meant for someone their age.” Only 33% of them told a trusted adult.
These numbers line up with Pew
Pew Research Center’s fall 2025 survey of 1,458 teens found 64% of teens 13 to 17 use chatbots, about three in ten daily, while only 51% of their parents thought so. That teen figure fits Common Sense’s 71% to 77% “ever used” range for teens. Different organizations, similar picture.
Limits of the Data
These are self-reports by kids, collected online with parental consent. Kids may not recognize every AI feature they use, which likely makes the narrower chatbot numbers conservative. Both surveys are US-only. They show associations, such as between loneliness and frequent use, not causes. And Common Sense is an advocacy organization as well as a researcher; its surveys are run by an independent firm (SSRS for the June census), but the framing of findings is Common Sense’s.
What to Do With These Numbers at Home
Start the AI conversation by 9, not 13
The curve says most kids meet chatbots between 9 and 13. Waiting until middle school means talking after the habit forms. Our guide to starting the AI safety talk has scripts by age.
Count search summaries as AI
Three in four kids use AI summaries in search. Teach the habit of scrolling to the sources, explained in our piece on AI search versus traditional search.
Watch the homework number at 11 and 12
That’s when daily school use starts climbing. Agree on what AI is for (explaining, quizzing) and not for (writing the answer) while the stakes are low.
Ask about the bad moments
Since two-thirds of kids who see something inappropriate don’t tell an adult, ask directly and calmly: “Has an AI ever said something weird or not okay to you?”
What not to do
Don’t read 86% as “every kid is hooked.” Low enjoyment numbers say the opposite. Use the statistics to time conversations, not to panic.
What to Watch For Over the Next 3 Months
- Week 4: You know which AI tools your child uses, including summaries and in-app assistants, and roughly how often.
- Month 2 red flags: Daily homework use that your child says they can’t do without, or chatbot use for feelings combined with withdrawal from friends.
- Month 3 self-check: Have you had the AI safety conversation the census says 44% of kids haven’t had? If your child is 9 to 12, does it match where they are on the curve?
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of kids use AI in 2026?
It depends on the definition. Common Sense’s June 2026 census found 86% of US kids aged 9 to 17 use some form of AI, including search summaries. Its October census found 65% have used AI in their free time. For chatbots specifically, 67% of 9- to 17-year-olds have used one.
At what age do kids start using AI chatbots?
Earlier than most terms allow. Common Sense’s October 2026 census found 36% of 9-year-olds have used a chatbot or companion, rising to 55% at 11 and 73% at 13. ChatGPT’s terms, for example, bar children under 13.
How many teens use AI every day?
About 29% of 13- to 17-year-olds use AI daily, according to Common Sense’s June 2026 census, and Pew found about three in ten teens use chatbots daily. Daily AI use for schoolwork reaches 30% among 16- and 17-year-olds.
Do kids actually like using AI?
Not much, relative to how often they use it. Only 11% of teen users and 15% of tween users say they enjoy AI “a lot,” the widest use-enjoyment gap of any media in Common Sense’s October census. Only 4% named ChatGPT as a platform they couldn’t live without.
Why do different surveys give different AI use numbers?
They ask different questions. Some count any AI, including Google’s AI summaries and writing tools; some count only chatbots; some ask about free time only. Age ranges also differ. Check the definition and sample before comparing two numbers.
About the author
Ricky Flores is the founder of HiWave Makers and an electrical engineer with 15+ years of experience building consumer technology at Apple, Samsung, and Texas Instruments. He writes about how kids learn to build, think, and create in a tech-saturated world. Read more at hiwavemakers.com.
Sources
- Mann, S. (2026, October 27). “Almost half of tweens have used an AI chatbot or companion, new research finds.” Common Sense Media Youth AI Safety Institute. https://institute.commonsensemedia.org/tween-teen-census-2026
- Common Sense Media. (2026, June 8). “A Comprehensive Report on Teens, Tweens, and AI.” Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/a-comprehensive-report-on-teens-tweens-and-ai
- Common Sense Media. (2026). “The Common Sense Media Census: AI Use by Tweens and Teens, 2026” (full report PDF). Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/2026-ai-use-by-tweens-and-teens-1.pdf
- McClain, C., Anderson, M., Sidoti, O., & Bishop, W. (2026, February 24). “How Teens Use and View AI.” Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/02/24/how-teens-use-and-view-ai/
- Pew Research Center. (2026, February 24). “What parents say about their teen’s AI use.” Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/02/24/what-parents-say-about-their-teens-ai-use/
