AI Becomes Teenagers' Confidant, Alarming New Survey Reveals
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
A survey by Israel's National Security Ministry reveals 90% of Israeli teenagers use AI, with 39% seeking personal advice and 60% not verifying AI information. Nearly 70% have encountered disturbing AI-generated content. Parental awareness is higher than teachers', and teens with training are better at identifying harmful material. The survey polled 509 teens aged 12-18 in February-March 2026.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- 90% of Israeli teens use AI, with 39% consulting it for personal advice, a new survey shows.
- 60% of teens do not verify AI-generated information, and 28% received incorrect advice.
- 69% of teenagers have encountered disturbing AI-generated content, including deepfakes and fake news.
- 16% of teens admit using AI to create content about others, raising concerns about misuse.
- Parental awareness of teen AI use is higher than teachers', correlating with reduced harm.
- 40% of teen AI users have received no guidance on safe and proper tool usage.
A new survey from Israel's National Security Ministry indicates that 90% of Israeli teenagers are using artificial intelligence tools, with a significant portion relying on AI for personal advice and decision-making. The study found that 39% of teens consult AI for personal matters, and 22% use it for everyday decisions, ranging from choosing outfits to responding to friends. This trend is more pronounced among girls, with 43% using AI for personal consultation compared to 34% of boys.
A major concern highlighted by the research is the lack of critical evaluation of AI-generated information. Sixty percent of teenagers do not regularly verify the accuracy of AI responses, and 28% reported receiving incorrect advice in the past year. Furthermore, 69% of teens have encountered disturbing content created by AI, including deepfake images or videos (38%), fake news (33%), and fabricated depictions of people saying or doing things they didn't (33%). Additionally, 26% were exposed to AI-generated violent content, and 17% saw fake sexual content.
The survey also revealed that 16% of respondents admitted to using AI to create content about another person, often described as "for a laugh." The National Bureau for the Protection of Children Online warns that this accessibility could lead even unaware teens to become perpetrators, especially with AI-generated sexual content, which carries potential criminal consequences.
Parental awareness of teens' AI usage is higher than that of teachers, with 63% of teens reporting significant parental awareness compared to only 34% for teachers. A strong correlation was found between parental awareness and reduced personal harm to teens. Despite widespread use, 40% of teen AI users have received no guidance on safe and proper usage, with only 36% reporting school-based instruction. However, teens who received training showed a higher rate of reporting harmful content exposure (35% vs. 25%), suggesting improved identification capabilities.
The survey was conducted in February-March 2026 by Shari'd Institute, polling 509 Israeli teenagers aged 12-18 who use AI tools. The National Bureau for the Protection of Children Online reminds the public that hotline 105 is available 24/7 for reporting online harm to children and teens, including AI-related incidents.
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