AI & Machine Learning
May 12, 2026
Survey reveals young girls prefer AI for homework help and emotional support over parents
May 12, 2026
AI Summary
A Girl Scouts survey indicates that many girls aged 5 to 13 consider AI tools as friends and prefer them for homework assistance and entertainment. While parents are largely unaware of AI's role in their children's lives, a significant portion of girls turn to AI for emotional guidance and support.
- A survey by Girl Scouts of the USA shows that 65% of girls using voice-activated assistants view them as friends, with 62% considering AI companions or chatbots as friends as well.
- Nearly half of the girls (47%) believe AI is better than their parents at helping with homework, a sentiment that rises to 57% among Black girls.
- The survey found that 50% of girls prefer AI for pop culture recommendations, while 48% think AI is better at entertaining them and telling jokes.
- Despite the high usage of AI, only 32% of parents believe their child uses it daily, compared to 51% of girls who report daily use.
- 44% of parents acknowledge their child may seek personal guidance from AI, and 43% of girls would turn to AI for help if they felt their parent was too busy.
- Over half of parents (54%) dislike the idea of AI chatbots providing mental health advice to children, while 35% are skeptical but open to it.
- 61% of girls feel confident in distinguishing between real and AI-generated information, but only 42% have been taught how to evaluate AI content.
- 56% of parents feel unprepared to teach their children how to use AI safely, despite 76% of parents using AI themselves.
- The survey highlights a technological gap between parents and children, with 82% of parents believing AI can benefit their child, particularly in homework assistance.
- Daily AI usage among girls increases with age, from 40% in ages 5 to 7 to 60% in ages 11 to 13.
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