The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is expanding rapidly, with increasing adoption among youth. AI offers new efficiencies and opportunities, yet its deeper integration into daily life requires careful consideration to ensure that AI tools are safe, especially for adolescents (generally considered to be between ages 10 and 25).

AI is embedded in many types of applications and programs, ranging from more subtle uses (e.g., predictive text, autocomplete, shopping recommendations) to a more substantial presence (e.g., chatbots, job application reviews, warning systems). We refer to “generative AI” as including applications that can generate humanlike text, create photorealistic images, produce lifelike audio, and create realistic videos, all of which can influence young people’s perceptions and behaviors. We refer to “interactive AI” as platforms or tools that facilitate human-AI interactions, such as real-time conversations, personalized learning experiences, relationships, and tailored content recommendations. Both interactive and generative AI have the potential to shape young people’s development, interactions, and understanding of the world. Furthermore, AI is increasingly being used to automate decision-making (e.g., school admissions, medical diagnosis, automated grading) that can have long-lasting consequences for youth.

Ensuring adolescents’ safety and well-being requires action from numerous stakeholders, including but not limited to parents, caregivers, educators, policymakers, technology industry professionals, adolescents, and platforms that develop and/or host AI tools. This report offers a series of recommendations, some of which may be enacted immediately by parents/caregivers, youth, or educators. Others will require more substantial change by platforms, policymakers, and/or technology professionals. All should review the recommendations below and consider how best to address each.