Pew: More Than Half Of U.S. Teens Use Chatbots To Help With Homework
From Forbes.com
New research from Pew Research Center paints a detailed picture of how U.S. teens are using chatbots, and how they view the effects of such use.
Almost six in ten (57%) use chatbots to search for information. 54% say they use chatbots to “help with homework,” and 47% say they use the chatbots for “fun or entertainment.” Educators I spoke to said the number seem very low to them. Certainly AI companies seem to see “helping” students as a growth market. Take the Einstein app from Companion Inc, with this pitch:
He logs into Canvas every day, watches lectures, reads essays, writes papers, participates in discussions, and submits your homework — automatically.
In the wake of online backlash, the company seems to be rethinking their approach and currently Einstein’s webpage is 404, but many AI companies offer more diplomatically worded homework “help” or “tutoring.”
42% say the use the bots to summarize articles, books, or videos. Only 38% reported using AI to create or edit images or videos. Only one in ten (12%) reported using chatbots for emotional support or advice. That’s a considerably lower number than some other studies which have suggested that the use of chatbot “companions” is far more widespread.
These numbers vary by demographics. Black students are overall more likely to have used chatbots than Hispanic or White counterparts. Of the students who say they have ever used a chatbot, 61% of Black and Hispanic teens report having used a chatbot to search for information, compared to 52% for White students. The largest gap is perhaps the most concerning; only 8% of White teen chatbot users report using that bot for emotional support or advice, compared to 21% of Black teen users.