French Kids Use AI Far More Than Their Parents Think, Survey Finds

A YouGov survey of 970 French children aged 11–17 and 1,138 parents found a clear gap between young people’s reported AI use and their parents’ perceptions. Among 11–12-year-olds, 40% said they used general-purpose AI weekly, while only 26% of parents believed their children did. Use of generative AI rose with age: 70% of 16–17-year-olds reported regular use, compared with parents’ estimate of 61%. The survey also found 42% of parents felt no support helping children use AI responsibly and confidently.