Understanding Perspectives on AI Risks and Benefits for Youth

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of the environments where children and teens learn, create, communicate, socialize, and seek information. Yet AI technologies are developing faster than researchers, policymakers, educators, families, and other stakeholders can fully evaluate their implications for youth.

With funding from the Stuart Foundation, Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is conducting a cross-stakeholder survey to better understand how different groups perceive the risks, opportunities, and uncertainties associated with AI and youth.

The study, “Evaluating Stakeholder Awareness, Concern, and Optimism of AI Risks and Prospects for Youth,” is designed to identify where perspectives converge, where they differ, and where uncertainty remains.

About the Study

The study will gather perspectives from a diverse range of stakeholders, including:

• • • Youth ages 14–17
  • All adults including:
    • Students and Young Professionals
    • Parents and caregivers
    • Educators
    • Clinicians
    • Researchers
    • AI industry professionals
    • Nonprofit, advocacy, policy, and youth-serving professionals
    • Other relevant experts and stakeholders

The goal is not to determine whether AI is “good” or “bad” for young people. Instead, the study examines a broad range of potential risks and benefits, including issues related to learning, accessibility, creativity and communication as well as privacy, manipulation, misinformation, mental health, social development, educational disruption, bias, and safety.

Researchers will compare perspectives across stakeholder groups and examine where there is consensus, disagreement, optimism, concern, or uncertainty, including how perceptions may differ across short-, medium-, and long-term horizons.

What Does Participation Involve?

Eligible participants will complete a one-time online survey asking about their awareness of and perspectives on potential AI-related risks and benefits for children and adolescents. The study is being conducted remotely through SurveyMonkey.

Participation is voluntary. Adult participants provide informed consent before beginning the survey. Youth ages 14–17 may participate only after permission from a parent or legal guardian and their own assent.

Participants may skip questions or stop participating at any time. Survey findings will be reported in aggregate and will not identify individual participants.

Have You Been Invited to Participate?

Participation is voluntary. Please review the study information and consent materials at the beginning of the survey before deciding whether to participate.

Take the Survey

Why This Research Matters

Despite growing attention to AI, relatively little empirical evidence exists about how different groups understand its implications specifically for children and adolescents.

This project will create a baseline snapshot of stakeholder perspectives at a pivotal moment in the development and adoption of AI. The findings are intended to help identify areas of agreement and disagreement, illuminate questions requiring additional research, and contribute evidence to conversations about how AI can best serve children and adolescents.

Findings may help inform:

• • Future research priorities related to AI and youth
  • Policy and governance discussions
  • Child-centered AI safety and design
  • Educational and public-facing communication
  • Ongoing stakeholder engagement around youth well-being

The study is designed to produce findings useful to researchers, policymakers, educators, clinicians, parents, youth advocates, funders, and others working at the intersection of AI, child development, digital media, and youth well-being.

What Will Happen with the Results?

Children and Screens will analyze responses to identify patterns within and across stakeholder groups, including areas of consensus, divergence, and uncertainty.

Results will be reported in aggregate. Findings may be shared through a public report, presentations, policy or research briefs, professional or academic presentations, and other public-interest educational materials.

Study Information

• • Study Title: Evaluating Stakeholder Awareness, Concern, and Optimism of AI Risks and Prospects for Youth
  • Sponsor: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
  • Funding: Stuart Foundation
    Principal Investigator: Daniel Hipp, PhD, Senior Research Coordinator, Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
  • Study Type: One-time, online survey
  • Eligible Participants: Adults 18+ and youth ages 14–17 with parent/legal guardian permission.

Questions About the Study?

For questions about the research or participation, please contact:

Daniel Hipp, PhD
Senior Research Coordinator
Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Dan@childrenandscreens.org