Some Kids Will Never Think AI Is Cool - WIRED

What the report says

Wired reports that some children and teenagers are reacting to generative AI less with fascination than with suspicion, mockery and discomfort. The piece describes young people calling AI-generated material “creepy” or “disgusting,” and highlights a 9-year-old’s dismissive joke that AI should mean “artificial idiot.” Wired frames this as a countertrend to the heavy promotion of chatbots and AI tools since they became widely available to consumers.

The article cites market research firm YPulse as finding that 37% of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 say they cringe at AI-made content such as music and videos, while more than half express concern about misinformation and deepfakes. Wired also points to Pew Research findings showing a mixed picture: many teens use chatbots and some expect personal benefits, but more than a quarter believe AI could harm society over the next 20 years.

Concerns described in the article include job losses, weaker critical-thinking skills, environmental costs, deepfakes and low-quality AI art. Melanie Green, a communications professor at the University at Buffalo, told Wired that AI differs from earlier consumer technologies because many young people see it as something adults and technology companies are pushing onto them, while their generation may face the long-term consequences.

The report matters because it complicates the assumption that younger users will automatically embrace each new digital tool. Wired’s account suggests that even among teens and children who use AI for schoolwork or social purposes, enthusiasm is uneven and often mixed with skepticism about authenticity, creativity and social impact.