U.S. Teen AI Survey: 70% Use It for Schoolwork as Classroom AI Literacy Lags

Common Sense Media released 'Teens in the AI Era: Schoolwork and Skills That Matter, 2026,' based on a nationally representative survey of 1,017 U.S. teenagers ages 13–17. Seventy percent use AI for schoolwork; among them, 77% use it to brainstorm, check work, or get feedback, while 63% use it to obtain answers. Yet only 27% said a teacher had discussed in class what AI is or how it works.

The survey provides authoritative data on how U.S. teenagers use AI, showing that it is deeply embedded in schoolwork while classroom instruction lags, a gap that could affect AI education policy and teaching practice. Schools may need stronger AI-literacy instruction covering how AI works, safe use, and how to judge accuracy. Education-product developers can use these patterns to balance support features with answer-giving functions.