MIT Tech Review: How Teenagers Aged 10-18 Really Feel About AI
MIT Tech Review AI · rss · 2026-08-13
MIT Tech Review interviewed teenagers aged 10 to 18, revealing their genuine attitudes toward AI. While many feel indifferent or even uneasy, most admit to using it at least occasionally.
Key Insights:
- Pragmatism: Remy, 16, thinks AI is like early cars—interesting but crude. He uses Claude for coding but finds AI-generated game code sloppy, preferring to build himself. He also notes that anti-cheating measures forcing in-class essays have actually lowered his writing quality.
- Information Equality: Danielle, 18, developed "Next Voters," using multiple AI agents to turn dense government bills into accessible newsletters, aiming to lower barriers to democratic participation for teens.
- Environmental Anxiety: Hazel, 17, refuses to use AI due to the massive energy consumption and environmental damage caused by data centers.
Overall, teens are less concerned about AI taking their jobs and more worried about its impact on society and creativity. They want to keep their hands on the wheel, refusing to let AI do their thinking or socializing.
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