Number of Kids Using ChatGPT for Homework Doubles, Survey Says

In 2023, the percentage of teens ages 13-17 who would cop to asking artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT for help with their schoolwork was just 13%. What a difference a year makes.

A 2024 Pew Research poll published this month surveyed 1,391 US teens between September and October. It found that 32% had heard “a lot” about ChatGPT. It also found that 26% had used it to help with at least one school assignment.

The doubling of teens saying they've accessed AI for homework is sure to raise at least a few eyebrows in education. But a deeper drill on the data reveals that kids are more cautious about ChatGPT than teachers and parents might give them credit for. The survey asked teens whether it was okay to use ChatGPT to help research a new topic. 54% said that was fine. This number is up from 47% in 2023. But getting ChatGPT to write an essay for you? Only 18% of teens said that was okay. And getting AI to solve a math problem? That got a thumbs up from only 27% of teens. 

Survey results were also not evenly spread across ages or ethnicities. Pew noted that 11th and 12th graders were more likely to say they’ve accessed ChatGPT for homework (31%) than those in 9th and 10th (25%). And only 20% of 7th and 8th graders said they’d used it. 

In 2023, Black, Hispanic, and White students said they'd used AI for homework at about the same rate. In 2024, 31% of Black and Hispanic students said they had accessed ChatGPT, compared to 22% of White respondents.   

Reflect: Have you ever used AI to help with schoolwork? Why or why not?