UNICEF says 20 million children use AI faster than adults

A new analysis from the United Nations Children's Fund finds that at least 20 million children across ten countries have already used artificial intelligence, with many adopting the technology more than three times faster than adults. The findings, released ahead of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva on July 6-7, 2026, highlight a rapid uptake that is outpacing regulatory safeguards, leaving young users exposed.

The data, drawn from a survey of internet-using children aged 12 to 17 and their caregivers in Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Jordan, Mexico, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Pakistan, and Serbia, reveals two primary uses. An estimated 13 million children rely on AI tools to support their learning and homework. More strikingly, over 2 million children, or one in ten surveyed, report turning to AI for advice on personal matters that worry them.

UNICEF warns that this rapid integration is occurring within a governance vacuum. The agency stated that children are more exposed to how AI systems are designed, their underlying business models, and how personal data is used, yet possess far less power to avoid or challenge them. Most existing AI...