Report explores Romanian teenagers’ use of AI, technology for learning

A total of 56% of Romanian teenagers aged 16 to 18 use AI for creative projects, while 56% use it daily or almost daily for learning, the study The Future Report released by Google found. Moreover, nine in 10 teenagers in Romania say they use AI for creative or learning purposes at least once a month.

Young people regularly use AI to do their homework and assist with schoolwork (49%), write creative texts (26%) or generate images (23%), discover new interests or skills (29%), and develop their creativity (64%). Rather than seeing AI as a replacement for learning, most teenagers describe it as a tool that helps them learn more effectively, personalizing their learning experience (44%) and allowing them to learn at their own pace (42%). At the same time, they are aware of the risks of overreliance and emphasize the importance of maintaining independent thinking, personal effort, and human creativity.

The report also found that teenagers regularly use online platforms for entertainment (40%) and to stay in touch with friends and family (39%), explore hobbies (38%), access educational content (34%), and follow the news (36%).

Video is one of teenagers’ preferred formats for consuming online content. Fifty-nine percent of teenagers say they watch videos almost every day, with video content often providing additional information to what they learn at school. Almost 40% of those surveyed say that watching a video online has helped them better understand a subject or has been useful in explaining topics in a different way from their teachers.

The research highlighted high levels of digital literacy among Romanian teenagers. The majority question the reliability of the information they encounter online (76%), using strategies such as cross-checking multiple sources (50%), consulting trusted adults (47%), and assessing the credibility of the source (52%).

While many acknowledge that they spend more time online than they would like (45%), they also demonstrate a considerable ability to manage their digital lives through self-imposed boundaries, such as screen-time limits (30%), offline hobbies (27%), and spending time with friends and family (35%), according to the research.

The Future Report is nationally representative and was conducted by Livity among 1,000 teenagers aged 16 to 18 in Romania, alongside qualitative research.