At least 20 million children across 10 countries have used artificial intelligence, according to a new UNICEF analysis, with many young people adopting the technology much faster than adults.
The UN agency said children are embracing AI at a rate more than three times faster than adults, based on data collected from the 10 countries included in the study.
The findings show that more than 2 million children, roughly one in 10, said they turn to artificial intelligence for advice on issues that concern them. At the same time, an estimated 13 million children use AI tools to support their learning and complete school assignments.
UNICEF noted that the rapid spread of AI use is advancing faster than efforts to regulate the technology, leaving children particularly exposed.
"Children are more exposed to AI systems, including how they are designed, the business models on which they are based and how their personal data is used, while having far less power to avoid or challenge them," UNICEF said, adding that "most AI governance frameworks do not prioritise children."
The organisation also warned that the long-term effects of artificial intelligence on young people remain largely unknown.
"Evidence on its role in cognitive development, emotional dependency and exposure to risks is only just beginning to emerge," UNICEF said. "In practice, an entire generation is growing up in a global experiment."
According to the analysis, one-third of children in the participating countries said they are worried about the use of artificial intelligence to deceive and mislead people or spread misinformation, while one-quarter fear that their images or videos could be manipulated and turned into sexual deepfakes.
UNICEF said many AI systems remain accessible to children without adequate safeguards, describing safety as "apparently an afterthought."
The findings were released ahead of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance at the United Nations.
UNICEF is urging governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to incorporate children's rights, particularly their right to safety and protection, into the global framework for AI governance.
Among the organisation's recommendations is greater investment in research into the effects of artificial intelligence on children's development and wellbeing, with particular emphasis on potential risks.
UNICEF described the current period as "a defining moment," stressing that "the decisions made today about artificial intelligence will shape children's safety, privacy, wellbeing and equitable access to opportunities for decades to come."
With information from euronews.com
