Published on: 2026-06-30
Source: United Nations – Объединенные Нации –
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June 30, 2026 Culture and Education
According to UNICEF analysis based on data from ten countries, at least 20 million children are already using artificial intelligence. The pace at which children adopt this technology is more than three times higher than that of adults. It is still difficult to predict the outcomes of this “global experiment.”
Study Assistant
One of the most common areas of AI application among children remains education. It is estimated that about 13 million children use it for studying and doing homework.
More than two million children, or one in ten, reported turning to artificial intelligence for advice on issues that concern them. At the same time, experts believe that existing rules and protection mechanisms are not keeping pace with the rapid development of the technology.
The interests of children are not taken into account
According to the authors of the study, children are the first to face the consequences of insufficient regulation and will feel them longer than others. But they do not influence how these systems are developed, on which business models they are based, and how their personal data is used. In most existing AI governance mechanisms, children’s interests are not a priority.
New challenges for children’s safety
Although artificial intelligence can open up new opportunities for children in learning, creativity, and leisure, data on its impact on cognitive development, emotional dependency, and risks of harm are only just beginning to emerge. Essentially, an entire generation is growing up amid a global experiment.
The children themselves are also aware of potential threats. In ten countries participating in the study, one-third of respondents expressed concern that AI could be used for fraud, deception, and the spread of misinformation. Additionally, one in four children fear that their photos or videos could be altered using deepfake technology and used to create sexual content.
A call to take children’s interests into account
On the eve of the first Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, UNICEF calls on governments, the private sector, and international partners to place children’s rights, especially the right to safety and protection, at the center of the global AI governance system.
The organization recommends investing in research on the impact of AI on children’s development and well-being, strengthening legislation and company accountability mechanisms to prevent the sexual exploitation of children through AI, ensuring maximum safety and transparency of artificial intelligence systems, developing digital literacy for children and their parents, as well as expanding access to digital infrastructure to reduce the digital divide between and within countries.
“The decisive moment has arrived. The decisions made regarding artificial intelligence now will determine safety, the right to privacy, the well-being of children, and their equal access to opportunities for decades to come,” UNICEF emphasized.
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