Our Findings
Our Findings
As AI becomes increasingly capable, its role in media is inevitable. From AI-written news articles to AI-generated social media content videos, its widespread media presence is clear. But the efficiency it affords comes with serious risks.
This month, we want to understand what youth think about AI’s in media: what they’re comfortable with and what guardrails they believe policy should set so we can help shape a future where innovation thrives without compromising individual rights or the values that matter most.
- How often do you encounter AI-generated content on social media or in the news?
- I’m comfortable watching content of AI-generated influencers (not real people) that look real on social media platforms.
- I’m comfortable watching deepfakes/AI-generated content of celebrities/famous people.
- I’d be comfortable reading books or watching movies whose scripts are AI-generated.
- On a scale of 1-5, how much would a clear “AI-generated” label increase your comfort with AI media content?
- What (if any) policies would you like to see social media companies or governments implement to make you more comfortable with AI media?
Optional: Why does AI generated media make you feel comfortable/uncomfortable?
Auckland, New Zealand
Our findings:
We surveyed 14 students within high schools across the North Island of New Zealand about their perspectives on AI in the media. Overall, it makes lots of people uncomfortable but ends up on a lot of people’s social media regardless. The survey was open for a total of 15 days.
AI Content Encounter Frequency
When asked to rate how often people encountered AI-generated content on social media or in the news, on a scale of Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Always, 35.7% said always, the
another 35.7% said sometimes, and 28.6% said always.
Comfort With AI-Generated Influencers
When asked to rate the comfort in watching AI-generated influencers that look real on social media platforms, 78.6% said they were extremely uncomfortable, 14.3% said they were uncomfortable, and the other 7.1% said they had neutral feelings.
Comfort With Deepfakes
When asked to rate the comfort in watching deepfakes/AI- generated content of celebrities/famous people, 78.6% said they were extremely uncomfortable, and 21.4% said they were comfortable.
Comfort With AI Books/Movies
When asked to rate the comfort of reading books or watching movies whose scripts are AI generated 78.6% said they would be extremely uncomfortable, 7.1% said they would be uncomfortable, and 14.3% said they had neutral feelings.
Would an AI label increase comfort?
When asked to rate, on a scale of 1-5, how much clear “AI-generated” labels increase the comfort with AI media content, 35.7% rated 1, 21.4% rated 2, 14.3% rated 3, 21.4% rated 4, and 7.1% rated 5.
Free Response + Analysis
When asked about what policies they would like to see in social media companies or governments implement to make you more comfortable with AI media, most students wrote that they would not be comfortable with any AI usage at all, and some wrote to clearly state that AI was being used.
Looking at the general view, it seems as though the students are ill at ease about the type and amount of AI-generated content they’re force-fed by their social media feeds. When asked about why AI-generated media makes them uncomfortable, most wrote that it looks so real when it really isn’t and can be easily manipulated to serve sinister agendas. A response stated that it marked the end of a generation when images were used as a way to verify the truth, which leaves us questioning what to believe without seeing it in our physical lives.
California, United States
Our findings:
I surveyed 26 students at a school with 2000 students about their perspectives on AI in media in Southern California. The survey was open for around 2 days, and overall I found that most students encounter AI content often, but they are much more cautious about deepfakes and misleading uses of AI than they are about AI used for creative purposes.
AI Content Encounter Frequency
When asked how often they encounter AI-generated content on social media or in the news, most students chose “Often” or “Always,” which means about 70% of students reported seeing AI content frequently. This shows that AI media is already a regular part of students’ online experience.
Comfort With AI-Generated Influencers
When asked how comfortable they were with watching content from AI-generated influencers that look real on social media platforms on a scale of one to five, the average rating was about 2.85, showing mixed comfort. This suggests that students are somewhat open to AI influencers, but many are still unsure about them.
Comfort With Deepfakes
When asked how comfortable they were with watching deepfakes or AI-generated content of celebrities and famous people on a scale of one to five, the average rating was about 1.65, showing strong discomfort with AI being used to imitate real people. This was one of the clearest concerns in the survey.
Comfort With AI Books/Movies
When asked how comfortable they were with reading books or watching movies whose scripts are AI-generated on a scale of one to five, the average rating was about 3.05, showing moderate comfort with AI in creative writing. This suggests that students are more accepting of AI in creative work than in visual impersonation.
Would an AI label increase comfort?
When asked how much a clear “AI-generated” label would increase their comfort with AI media content, the average rating was about 4.25, showing that transparency matters a lot to them. Many students feel more comfortable when AI content is clearly labeled.
Free Response + Analysis
In the short response question, students wanted clearer rules, labeling, and limits on harmful uses of AI. One student said that platforms should “require that each video or media containing AI clearly states it,” while another said there should be a “watermark or very obvious way of pointing out AI-generated media.” Some students were more negative, saying AI media is “fake and stealing jobs,” while others explained that AI is only acceptable when it is used as a tool and not when it replaces human judgment and expertise.
Overall, I think the survey shows that students in my community are not fully against AI, but they want honesty and boundaries. Compared with other places where people may be more excited about AI innovation, students here seem more worried about being deceived and the effect AI could have on real jobs. The results suggest that instead of banning AI completely, policies should focus on transparency, labeling, and limiting harmful deepfakes while still allowing useful creative uses.
New Jersey, USA
Our findings:
This month 20 high school students in New Jersey were surveyed in order to gain a better understanding of how they feel about AI’s growing influence in social media and online. The survey was up for approximately two weeks and responses came from students varying from 9th-12th grade.
AI Content Encounter Frequency
Most students said they encounter AI-generated content regularly, with 40% choosing often and only 5% saying never, showing that AI has already become a part of people’s daily lives and is constantly showing up on their feeds.
Comfort With AI-Generated Influencers
AI-generated influencers received an average of 2.95 out of 5 stars, the largest group being 30% of students choosing a 3.
Comfort With Deepfakes
In contrast to that, deepfakes of celebrities had the lowest comfort levels, averaging 1.95 and 75% of students rated their comfort at a 1 or 2.
Comfort With AI Books/Movies
On the other hand, when AI is used in more creative ways such as using it to write books or movies, that led to students having a significantly higher average rating of 3.65, with 30% of students rating a 4 and 25% rating a 5.
Would an AI label increase comfort?
When asked if an “AI-generated” label would make them more comfortable, the average score came out to be 3.90, with 70% of students choosing a 4 or 5.
Free Response + Analysis
Many students expressed that AI becomes uncomfortable when it impersonates real people and spreads misinformation about them, but they’re much more open to it when creators clearly label it and it’s used for creative or fictional purposes. The consensus was AI generated material is fun and interesting, but when it’s used to copy and replace real people that’s when the line is crossed.
A lot of people would like it if there were software that could automatically detect if a video is AI generated and if it’s harmful then the software would quickly take it down before it spread. This suggests that students want there to be a balance between illusion and reality. Overall, the data collected implies that the students don’t simply reject the idea of AI generated material, rather they believe boundaries should exist and if those boundaries were to be crossed then real issues will arise.
Northern Virginia, USA
Our findings:
This month 20 high school students in the Northern Virginia area were surveyed in order to gauge their perspectives on AI in media, and regulations that they feel should be in place.
AI Content Encounter Frequency
Most students regularly come in contact with AI-generated content, with 60% sharing that they encounter it either often or more frequently than often.
Comfort With AI-Generated Influencers
The average rating for AI-generated influencers was 2.1, and 40% of respondents picked 1, the lowest level of comfort.
Comfort With Deepfakes
Deepfakes of celebrities or influencers yielded a low 1.80 rating for comfort, indicating a low level of comfort.
Comfort With AI Books/Movies
AI books and movies surprisingly matched the levels of comfort with deepfakes with a 1.80. Furthermore, more than 50% of students rated their comfort with AI generated entertainment as a 1, the highest rate of 1s across the scenarios.
Would an AI label increase comfort?
When asked how much a label indicating that a piece of media was AI-generated would increase comfort, the average rating was a 3.5, indicating that such a policy would be somewhat effective in making users more comfortable.
Free Response + Analysis
When asked about policy recommendations regarding AI, a consistent throughline was a request for indication of AI-generated media. Some called for AI watermarks, while others were mistrustful of a watermark/label and called to remove AI-generated content as a whole.
Another request was that AI-generated content of others be banned as well as AI-generated books or movie scripts. Finally, some students requested that there be an option to remove AI-generated content from one’s feed, almost as a filter of sorts.
When asked why AI made them uncomfortable, many students reported discomfort at deepfakes, or mimicking of human action. Others were wary of its ability to spread false information rapidly.
Overall, students in Northern Virginia reflect a strong commitment to truth—stopping misinformation, safety—ensuring that individuals aren’t being represented using AI without their consent, and an appreciation for human-generated art. They would like to see policy executed to ensure that AI-generated content is clearly so as well as restrictions on the contexts in which it can be used.
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