Lisbon, Sept. 2, 2026 (Lusa) - Around 85% of Portuguese children and young people aged 9 to 17 have used generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, with schoolwork among the main uses, according to the EU Kids Online 2025 report.
Among those surveyed, 47% said they have used generative AI for schoolwork, whilst 23% have used these tools to chat and seek advice on physical health, and the same percentage have used them to discuss concerns and seek advice.
The use of AI for schoolwork clearly increases with age: 28% of children aged 9 to 11 report using it, compared with 48% of those aged 12 to 14 and 63% of those aged 15 to 17.
The report «New uses, new risks? Digital rights of children and young people (aged 9–17)», based on a survey of 2,111 children and young people who use the internet, also reveals a significant difference according to socio-economic status: half of young people from high and moderate socio-economic backgrounds report using AI for schoolwork, a figure that falls to 34% among those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
The researchers emphasise that generative AI has become a central component of young people's digital practices and that academic uses stand out, particularly for summarising or explaining long texts and helping with schoolwork.
«In Portugal, there has been rapid uptake and widespread adoption of [AI systems] amongst young people, without the involvement of teachers or parents,» Cristina Ponte, a researcher at NOVA's Institute of Communication (ICNOVA) and one of the authors of the report, explained to Lusa.
For the academic, «using these tools for schoolwork can be productive if it aids studies, if it is guided by a focus on searching, research and a certain pedagogical approach», although «it can also be less beneficial if they delegate all their schoolwork to [AI systems] [...] this can be detrimental in terms of learning and knowledge», she concluded.
The report, however, identifies a discrepancy between the confidence children and young people express in their digital skills and their actual understanding of how algorithms work, of social media platforms' business models, and of the social impact of digital technologies.
Around half of those surveyed also expressed an interest in learning more about fake news and ways to protect personal data online.
For Cristina Ponte, distinguishing reliable information from manipulated or false content is one of today's major challenges.
The results of EU Kids Online 2025 show a growing integration of digital technologies into daily life and school life, in a context where the use of generative AI is linked not only to learning, but also to seeking information, communication and support.
PYR/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
