Children are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies at a pace far faster than adults, with millions already using AI tools for learning, advice and creativity, but UNICEF is warning that safety protections are failing to keep up with the rapid transformation of childhood.
A new UNICEF analysis estimates that at least 20 million children worldwide have used artificial intelligence, with many adopting the technology at rates more than three times faster than adults.
The findings, released ahead of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance, highlight both the opportunities AI presents for children and the growing concerns around privacy, misinformation, exploitation and unequal access to technology.
“AI is here. It is a growing part of all of our lives. And it is already shaping childhood around the world – for better and for worse,” UNICEF said in a statement.
The United Nations children’s agency said new evidence is revealing the scale and speed at which children are integrating AI into their daily lives, while also exposing emerging risks and inequalities linked to the technology.
The analysis found that children are using AI not only as a tool for entertainment but also for personal support and education. More than 2 million children, approximately one in 10 surveyed, said they turn to AI for advice on issues that concern them, while an estimated 13 million children reported using AI to support learning and homework.
UNICEF warned that as children’s reliance on artificial intelligence increases, the systems governing the technology have not developed at the same speed.
“Children are more exposed to AI systems – including how they are designed, their underlying business models, and how their own data is used – yet have far less power to avoid or challenge them,” the organisation said.
The agency said children are often the first to experience the consequences of weak AI governance, while also being the generation that will live longest with the impact of decisions made today.
“Yet most AI governance does not prioritise children,” UNICEF said.
The research examined children’s experiences and concerns across 10 countries: Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Jordan, Mexico, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Pakistan and Serbia.
The findings were based on nationally representative household surveys conducted by UNICEF and IPSOS involving approximately 1,000 internet-using children aged 12 to 17 and 1,000 parents or caregivers in each country.
The research formed part of Disrupting Harm Phase 2, a project led by UNICEF’s Office of Strategy and Evidence – Innocenti, ECPAT International and INTERPOL, with funding from Safe Online.
While AI offers opportunities to improve children’s education and creativity, UNICEF said evidence about its long-term effects on children’s development is still emerging. The organisation warned that questions remain about how AI may influence cognitive development, emotional dependency and exposure to harmful content.
“In effect, a generation is growing up inside a global experiment,” UNICEF said.
Children themselves expressed concerns about the risks associated with artificial intelligence. According to the UNICEF analysis, one-third of children surveyed said they were worried that AI could be used to scam people, deceive others or spread misinformation.
A quarter of children said they feared their images or videos could be manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes, a growing concern as generative AI tools become more accessible.
UNICEF warned that many AI systems are reaching children without sufficient safeguards, saying that safety measures are too often treated as an afterthought rather than being built into technology from the beginning.
The agency is calling on governments, technology companies and international partners to ensure that child rights are central to global AI governance. Among its recommendations, UNICEF is urging greater investment in research into how AI affects children’s development and wellbeing, particularly the risks associated with emerging technologies.
The organisation is also calling for stronger laws, governance frameworks and corporate accountability measures to prevent AI-enabled sexual exploitation and abuse.
UNICEF said AI systems must be designed with stronger safety standards and greater transparency to ensure that children can benefit from technology without being exposed to unnecessary harm. It also also emphasised the importance of improving AI literacy among children, parents and caregivers so families can better understand how to navigate the digital environment.
Another major concern is the global digital divide.
UNICEF warned that unequal access to internet connectivity and digital tools could prevent millions of children from benefiting from AI while exposing them to new forms of inequality. The first Global Dialogue on AI Governance came at a time when governments worldwide are debating how to regulate artificial intelligence while encouraging innovation.
For UNICEF, the debate must include children’s rights, particularly their right to safety, privacy and protection, as decisions being made now will influence the future of childhood for generations.
“This is a decisive moment,” UNICEF said. “The choices made about AI now will shape children’s safety, privacy, well-being, and their equal access to opportunities for decades to come.”
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in education, communication and everyday life, UNICEF argues that children should not only be seen as users of technology but as stakeholders whose rights must guide the future development of AI.
