UNICEF: Million Children Use AI

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta — UNICEF reported on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 that at least 20 million children across 10 countries have used artificial intelligence (AI). The findings come as Indonesia strengthens enforcement of new rules to protect children on digital platforms.

The report, “Snapshot of AI Usage and Concerns Among Children and Parents,” said children are adopting AI more than three times faster than adults. UNICEF warned that governance and safeguards are struggling to keep pace with the technology's rapid expansion.

More than 2 million children, or one in 10 surveyed, said they had used AI to seek advice about personal concerns. Another estimated 13 million children reported using AI to help with learning and homework.

"AI is here. It is a growing part of all of our lives. And it is already shaping childhood around the world – for better and for worse," as quoted from the statement by UNICEF in the press release.

UNICEF said children are increasingly exposed to AI systems with limited protection or oversight. The agency added that young users have little control over how AI is designed, how their data is used, or how companies deploy the technology.

The survey found that children are aware of many of the risks associated with AI. About one-third worried about scams and misinformation, while one-quarter feared sexually explicit deepfakes created from their images or videos.

Indonesia has also begun tightening oversight of children's digital activities through Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025, known as PP TUNAS. The regulation took effect on March 28, 2026, and requires platforms to strengthen age verification and child protection measures.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said on Monday, June 29, 2026, that enforcement has already led to the removal of millions of accounts belonging to underage users. TikTok has deactivated about 4.1 million Indonesian accounts, YouTube around 600,000 accounts, and Meta about 185,000 accounts belonging to children under the age of 16 during the first two months of implementation.

Ahead of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance, UNICEF urged governments and technology companies to put children's rights at the centre of AI regulation. It called for stronger laws, safer AI systems, greater corporate accountability, more AI literacy, and investment in digital infrastructure to ensure children can benefit from AI while being protected from harm.

The report is based on nationally representative surveys conducted by UNICEF and Ipsos in Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Jordan, Mexico, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Pakistan and Serbia. Indonesia was not included in the survey, but its recent policy measures reflect growing global concern over children's use of AI and digital technologies.