A survey of 2,000 parents and 2,000 young people aged between eight and 17 found 60% of children and teenagers were concerned about AI being used to make inappropriate pictures of them
Three out of five young people have expressed alarm about artificial intelligence (AI) being exploited to create inappropriate images of them, new research has revealed, as growing numbers of teenagers admit to using the technology.
More than one in 10 (12%) adolescents aged between 13 and 17 said they have already witnessed peers their age deploying AI to generate sexual images and videos of others, according to research conducted by the UK Safer Internet Centre and Nominet to commemorate Safer Internet Day.
The findings emerge as the UK’s data watchdog launched a formal investigation into X and xAI regarding their adherence to British law, after the chatbot Grok was exploited to produce sexual deepfake images without permission.
Nearly two thirds (65%) of 2,000 parents surveyed expressed worry about AI being weaponised to create inappropriate images of their offspring, whilst 60% of eight to 17 year olds voiced concern about someone utilising AI to generate inappropriate pictures of them.
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Yet despite these anxieties, almost all (97%) of 2,000 youngsters aged eight to 17 who participated in the study said they are actively using AI, with more than half (58%) believing it enhances their lives.
Over two in five (41%) young people indicated AI can offer emotional support, whilst more than a third (34%) stated specifically it can assist with mental health and wellbeing.
A third of parents (33%) are anxious about AI’s effect on their child’s cognitive abilities and educational development, whilst a comparable proportion (35%) of young people admitted AI has diminished their personal creativity. Parents have been found to underestimate the frequency of their children’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) for homework, with 31% of parents thinking it’s used versus 54% of children claiming they use it.
Furthermore, half of the young respondents admitted to seeing their peers use AI to complete their school or home assignments.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), expressed concern over the findings, highlighting the extensive use of AI among youngsters. He stressed that while a curriculum review acknowledged the need for more AI education, waiting 18 months for changes is not feasible for teachers, students, and parents.
Mr Kebede stated: “Young people are already using AI at an unprecedented rate, including for their homework and studying.”
He added, “Yet the evidence is clear that the risks of AI use in education, particularly for young people’s learning and development, overshadow the benefits.”
He also raised concerns about the number of young individuals relying on AI for emotional support and those anxious about AI being used to generate inappropriate images of them. He urged: “These findings must serve as a clarion call for Government to act urgently to ensure that children have the information, support and resources they need to make informed, safe and ethical decisions about AI.”
Despite growing opposition to social media for children and mobile phones in schools, the Government continues to advocate for the advantages of AI learning tools in educational settings.
The Department for Education has revealed plans to recruit over 1,000 schools and colleges to trial cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance learning, with AI-powered tutoring set to be rolled out to disadvantaged pupils across all schools by the close of 2027.
Mr Kebede expressed to MPs last year that he harboured “real concerns” about the potential long-term effects of AI on cognitive development in young people.
Despite these worries, the schools regulator Ofsted has discovered that teachers are predominantly optimistic about AI’s ability to reduce administrative burdens and enhance teaching quality.
Communications regulator Ofcom opened an inquiry into X and its chatbot several weeks back, prompting X to introduce new safeguards to tackle the concerns highlighted.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall commented: “This research shows that young people are embracing AI in remarkable ways; using it to learn and save time. This is exactly how we want technology to support people of all ages. But its true benefits won’t be realised until AI is both safe and accessible to everyone.”
She continued: “We are investing in safe AI tutors for disadvantaged children and upskilling millions of people across the country, while launching a national conversation on how we build a safer, fairer and more empowering digital future for every child.”
The minister concluded firmly: “We are also clear that no-one should be victim to AI being weaponised to create abhorrent explicit content without their consent. That’s why we brought forward a new criminal offence to ban it.”
