Growing Up in the Era of Artificial Intelligence : A Qualitative Study of Children’s Perspectives

Sammanfattning

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become increasingly sophisticated, accessible, and integrated into society, they are also becoming more present in children’s everyday contexts. Despite this growing integration, there is a limited understanding of how children interact with AI and what implications these interactions may have. To address this knowledge gap, 95 Swedish children aged 6-17 years were interviewed regarding their interactions with and interpretations of AI. Data was collected through semi-structured group interviews and analysed thematically, resulting in five key themes. The findings show that AI is widely integrated into multiple domains of children’s lives, and that children’s understanding of AI appears to be socioculturally constructed. Age-related differences in AI engagement were found and may reflect varying opportunities for participation and exposure, rather than developmental factors alone. Interactions were found to vary in terms of purpose of engagement, as well as the degree to which AI is visible or explicitly recognised in interaction. While children generally demonstrated high awareness of potential risks associated with AI use, their accounts also revealed ethical concerns related to possible long-term effects on well-being. Taken together, the findings provide insights into children’s lived experiences of AI, and also highlight the importance of situating children’s well-being at the centre of AI governance. Finally, the study provides a rich empirical foundation for future research, offering material for hypothesis generation and for further developing the understanding and mapping of children’s interactions with AI technologies.