Gen Alpha and AI: How Technology is Shaping Cognitive, Social & Emotional Development

Gen Alpha has been crowned as the AI generation, but does that hold any weight? While millennials and Gen Z grew up witnessing the rise of the internet and the smartphone revolution, today’s children are digital natives.

AI is seamlessly woven into their daily routines from the moment they wake up with a smart alarm to the time they tackle their homework. Gen Alpha is not just using technology; they are growing up in a symbiotic relationship with it.

What does this mean for children’s development, learning, and future prospects? We surveyed more than 500 parents of Gen Alpha children (ages 7-14) to shed light on how AI is shaping their cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Let’s see how that went.

Our survey revealed these key takeaways regarding Gen Alpha and their use of AI tools:

• Nearly half (49%) of Gen Alpha children are reported to already be using AI tools.
• Boys are leading the charge, with parents surveyed saying 54% of boys are using AI tools compared to 45% of girls.
• As Gen Alpha kids grow older, parents say their use of AI tools increases significantly (60%) by the ages of 13-14.
• More than half (54%) of parents surveyed say they support their children’s use of AI tools. They see AI as beneficial for personalized education (30%), social skills (18%), creativity (29%), and future preparedness (21%).
• Fathers surveyed said they are more supportive of AI tool usage (66%) compared to surveyed mothers (47%).
• Surveyed parents of boys are more likely (58%) to encourage the use of AI tools than parents of girls (51%) in the study.

One of the most striking findings from our survey is that nearly half of the surveyed parents (49%) of Gen Alpha children said their kids are already using AI tools. This statistic is a clear indicator of how deeply embedded AI has become in the daily lives of the youngest generation.

The world of AI is Gen Alpha’s playground, and they’re diving in headfirst with the curiosity and enthusiasm that only children can muster.

But, are they just asking Siri about the weather, or is there more to this technological tale?

Let’s answer that below.

Primary Activities

A third of parents of Gen Alpha children in the survey said their children use AI tools for entertainment — generating creative stories, interacting with virtual pets, or playing AI-powered games.

AI’s ability to personalize experiences and offer endless creativity makes it a perfect match for the playful nature of kids.

Meanwhile, 23% of surveyed parents said their children use AI tools to explore new topics and gain knowledge.

No wonder AI tutors and educational apps are becoming increasingly popular; they provide personalized learning experiences that adapt to each child’s pace and style of learning. This can be particularly helpful in keeping children engaged and motivated to learn.

Homework is the third most popular use of AI at 20%.

“As AI continues to develop and more children and teenagers begin to use it for things like homework, our education system will need to adapt. Perhaps this can be done through essays mostly being written in the classroom rather than at home, with other forms of homework instead being assigned,” said HostingAdvice consumer technology expert, Christian de Looper.

Although it’s no surprise that some of the most daunting tasks for kids are popularly being done by AI, it begs the question: Is it limiting the creativity and problem-solving skills of these kids?

Only time can tell. But a few parents seem to think that it is.

Boys Have a Higher Usage Rate Than Girls

When we break down the usage by gender, a clear disparity emerges. According to our survey:

• 54% of boys are using AI tools.
• 45% of girls are using AI tools.

In 2016, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) conducted a study and found that boys are three times more likely than girls to get STEM toys as gifts. This kind of societal conditioning can make a big difference in how comfortable and interested they are in using AI tools later on.

Boys also tend to see more male role models in tech, which can inspire them to follow similar career paths.

Maybe an increased visibility of female role models in tech could ignite that spark within girls to follow the same trajectory.

“It’s important that we encourage all children, regardless of their gender, to familiarize themselves with AI and technology in general. Technology has always been a bit of a boys club, and changing that would benefit society — however doing so requires creating interest from a young age,” said Christian.

Girls Tend to Use AI for Fun, but Less for Homework

It turns out that when it comes to AI, girls just wanna have fun!

Thirty percent of parents surveyed said their Gen Alpha girls are using AI tools for fun. AI-powered games, creative apps, and virtual assistants that tell jokes or play music — all these activities are making AI a favorite pastime for many young girls.

But when it comes to using AI for homework, the enthusiasm seems to dip. Only 16% of parents surveyed said their girls are leveraging AI to tackle their school assignments compared to 25% of surveyed parents of boys.

For many girls, AI’s appeal lies in its ability to entertain and inspire creativity. Fun is a powerful motivator, and AI offers a plethora of engaging and imaginative experiences.

So, why the disparity?

Traditionally, girls have been steered toward more creative and expressive uses of technology. This cultural backdrop can influence how comfortable or motivated girls feel to use AI for different tasks.

That cultural nudge toward creativity over technical skills still echoes. Who knew those early baking sessions with easy-bake ovens would set the stage for girls to become the queens of AI-generated art and stories instead of tech troubleshooting?

Usage Grows With Age: 60% of Surveyed Parents of Gen Alpha Teens Say They Are Using AI Tools

AI tool usage among Gen Alpha children shows a fascinating trend: It steadily increases with age. As these kids grow older, they become more adept at using AI tools, integrating them seamlessly into their daily routines.

By the time they reach 13-14 years old, a striking 60% of children are using AI tools — a window into how children adapt to and embrace technology as they grow.

Children are naturally curious, and as they age, their interests expand. They also encounter more complex subjects and assignments, which often require sophisticated resources. Enter AI.

Tools like AI-driven tutoring apps and homework assistants become readily available, something previous generations could only dream of. The closest they could get was a calculator, and even that didn’t help much if you didn’t know what you were doing in the first place.

From a young age, Gen Alpha is swiping and tapping their way through various devices. By the time they hit their teenage years, their digital literacy is quite advanced. They understand how to use technology and also grasp its potential, making them more confident and capable of exploring AI tools.

Plus, if AI tools are popular among their peers, they’re likely to adopt them too. A classic case of social proof — seeing others do it encourages them to jump on the bandwagon.

In the 1980s, kids were fascinated with Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, which were groundbreaking at the time. Fast-forward to today, Gen Alpha kids are interacting with AI-driven games that can learn and adapt to their playing styles.

This leaves us thinking this trend is more of a glimpse into the future than a pattern.

Non-Usage

Despite the high engagement, 43% of parents surveyed said their children are not yet interested in AI tools, and 8% said their kids are interested but not using them. This suggests there is still significant potential to increase AI interest and usage among Gen Alpha if more parents come to support it.

More than half of the parents surveyed (54%) support their child’s use of AI tools. They seem to recognize the potential benefits of AI in education, creativity, and future preparedness.

Here’s a closer look at parental attitudes.

Reasons for Parental Support

Imagine your child having a personal tutor available 24/7, ready to explain complex math problems or provide instant feedback on their essays. Sounds like a dream, right?

Well, almost a third of parents believe AI tools can turn this dream into reality. Platforms like Khan Academy and Duolingo use AI to tailor lessons so kids keep up with the curriculum and truly understand the material.

It’s not surprising that parents are gravitating toward this kind of targeted learning that can help children excel in subjects they find challenging.

The future is coming fast, and it’s bringing a lot of AI with it. A forward-thinking 21% of parents surveyed are acutely aware of this and believe that familiarity with AI tools will help prepare their children for the future workforce.

AI can crunch numbers and correct grammar — it can also enhance social skills, according to 18% of surveyed parents.

Parents also know creativity is key to a child’s development, and almost a third of those surveyed said they believe that AI tools can be a fantastic catalyst for stimulating their child’s imagination. Conversely, 12% of parents surveyed seem to be convinced that kids learn to think better on their own.

However, the integration of AI in education is not just a futuristic concept anymore. It’s already happening.

Schools across the globe are adopting AI-driven tools to enhance teaching methods and learning experiences. For example, in some classrooms, AI is used to track student performance and provide teachers with data-driven insights to better support each student’s learning journey.

That doesn’t mean all parents have jumped the gun when it comes to AI — 40% of parents surveyed said they have concerns over age, privacy, and critical thinking skills and border on the idea that AI equals cheating.

Male Parents Support Usage More Than Female Parents

Although parents in the study seem to generally support AI usage for their Gen Alpha children, fathers are taking charge by a whopping 19%.

In the early days of home computers, it was often fathers who were the “computer wizards” of the household. Many kids from the ’80s and ’90s have memories of their fathers tinkering with the family PC, trying to get the dial-up internet to work.

Today, those same fathers might be the ones encouraging their kids to dive into AI, seeing it as the next big thing in tech evolution.

Mothers, however, might have more concerns about the risks associated with AI, such as privacy and safety, and the belief that AI will hinder their child’s creativity and strategic thinking abilities.

Women are often more vigilant about the potential negative impacts of technology on children, and rightfully so. This dynamic interplay between encouragement and caution can actually forge a path where AI is used wisely and effectively.

Parents Tend to Want Their Child to Use AI More if the Child Is Male

Parents’ attitudes toward AI usage also vary depending on the gender of the child.

This could be a direct result of the cliché that boys are just naturally more into tech stuff. You see it all the time—boys are often encouraged to tinker with gadgets and computers from a young age. ​​

Historically, boys who spent hours in the basement taking apart VCRs and building makeshift robots were seen as future tech geniuses. So, when AI tools come into the picture, parents with sons might think, “Hey, this could be great for his future by giving him an edge in the tech world.”

On the flip side, parents of girls might be a bit more cautious; 14% of parents in the study state privacy and safety reasons for non-usage. And, there’s this nagging stereotype that says girls aren’t as into tech as boys, which is true by only a small margin, according to our survey data.

Unfortunately, this interest seems to dwindle with time. A study by Accenture shows that 50% of women drop out of tech roles by the age of 35 and the number of women in tech has decreased by 3% from 1984.

Gen Alpha is undoubtedly the AI generation. Nearly half of the parents in the study said their children are already using AI tools, and they are significantly engaged in entertainment, learning, and homework assistance.

Parental support also seems to be on par with AI usage, with most parents surveyed supporting it, particularly among male parents and male children. However, parents in the survey are not blindingly doing so without any concerns.

While the enthusiasm for AI is palpable, it’s also important to balance this excitement with a critical eye. Concerns about screen time, data privacy, and the potential for over-reliance on technology are valid and should be part of the conversation.

Parents and educators need to ensure that AI tools complement traditional learning and social interactions, not replace them. Encouraging outdoor play, face-to-face communication, and hands-on activities alongside AI use can create a well-rounded development environment for children.

Our survey involved 500 parents of Gen Alpha children aged 7-14. The survey aimed to understand the extent of AI tool usage among these children and gauge parental attitudes toward this usage. We collected data through online questionnaires, ensuring a diverse representation of demographics.

• Participants: 500 parents of Gen Alpha children (ages 7-14)
• Method: Online questionnaires

We analyzed the responses to identify trends and patterns in AI tool usage and parental attitudes. The data was then segmented by age, gender, and other relevant factors to provide deeper insights.

Our findings are based on the survey data collected from parents and complemented by existing research and literature on AI usage, gender differences, and the educational benefits of AI tools.