Updated
Updated · WIRED · Jul 24
Young People Turn Skeptical on AI as 37% of Teens Cringe at AI Content
Updated
Updated · WIRED · Jul 24

Young People Turn Skeptical on AI as 37% of Teens Cringe at AI Content

1 articles · Updated · WIRED · Jul 24

Summary

  • 37% of teens aged 13 to 17 say they cringe at AI-generated music and videos, according to YPulse, signaling a backlash even as chatbots remain widely used.
  • More than half worry about misinformation and deepfakes, while a recent Pew report found over a fourth expect AI to harm society over the next 20 years.
  • Job losses, weaker critical-thinking skills and environmental damage rank among the main fears, with teens seeing their generation as likely to bear the disruption.
  • Teachers, parents and researchers say the skepticism is also fueled by adults and tech companies aggressively pushing AI, making the technology feel imposed rather than embraced.

Insights

Why are the most tech-savvy teenagers suddenly turning their backs on the very AI revolution they were expected to champion?
With schools failing to teach AI safety, who is actually guiding our youth through the hidden dangers of synthetic media?