AI in Education: How Teens Use ChatGPT for Schoolwork

Current evidence in this report comes from the United States. A Pew Research Center survey of 1,391 US teens, run from 18 September to 10 October 2024, found that 26% had used ChatGPT for schoolwork, up from 13% in 2023 [1]. Most teens (73%) had not used the chatbot this way [1]. International evidence on school AI policies from UNESCO and the OECD will be added when verified.

• Race and ethnicity: Black and Hispanic teens (31% each) are more likely than White teens (22%) to use ChatGPT for schoolwork [1]. In 2023 the shares were similar: 11% White, 13% Black and 11% Hispanic [1].
• Grade: 31% of 11th and 12th graders use it, versus 20% of 7th and 8th graders [1].
• Use does not vary by gender or household income [1].
• Familiarity: 56% of teens who have heard a lot about ChatGPT use it for schoolwork, versus 18% of those who have heard a little [1].

54% of teens say it is acceptable to use ChatGPT to research new topics, and only 9% say it is not [1]. Far fewer support using it to do math or write essays, and 15% to 21% are unsure about these tasks [1]. Among teens who have heard a lot about ChatGPT, 79% say research use is acceptable, compared with 61% of those who have heard only a little [1].

79% of teens have heard of ChatGPT, up from 67% in 2023 [1]. The share who have heard a lot rose from 23% to 32% [1]. Awareness among teens in the lowest-income households rose from 41% to 67%, a 26-point increase [1]. White teens (83%) are more likely than Black (73%) and Hispanic (74%) teens to have heard of it [1].

All figures come from Pew Research Center's short read published 15 January 2025 [1]. The survey covered 1,391 US teens aged 13 to 17 living with their parents, recruited through Ipsos KnowledgePanel and weighted to be representative [1]. Results describe the United States only and should not be read as global shares. Shares are percentages of all teens surveyed unless stated.