Tech news Ireland is increasingly focused on how artificial intelligence is changing childhood, education and online safety. A new EU Kids Online survey suggests that nearly one in five Irish children and teenagers who use AI have turned to tools such as ChatGPT for schoolwork, while exposure to harmful online content remains a serious concern.
The findings are based on responses from more than 28,000 young people aged 10 to 16 across 19 European countries, including 805 participants in Ireland. The research offers an important snapshot of how young people are using technology Ireland-wide and how families, schools and policymakers may need to respond.
How Irish children are using AI for schoolwork
In Ireland, 19% of surveyed children who had used AI said they used it to write essays or stories for school. The same proportion said they used AI to summarise or explain longer texts. Both figures were below the European averages of 33% and 34%, respectively.
Ireland recorded one of the lowest levels of AI use for school-related tasks in the study. Around 57% of Irish respondents said they had not used an AI tool during the previous month, compared with 11% in Italy. By contrast, reported school-related use was much higher in Belgium and Portugal.
The results do not necessarily mean Irish students are disengaged from artificial intelligence. AI tools are already part of many young people’s digital lives, including for information, creativity and communication. However, the findings suggest that adoption differs significantly between countries and activities.
Online safety concerns remain widespread
The survey also highlights growing concerns about online harm. Thirty per cent of Irish participants said they had encountered violent or “gory” imagery online, while 28% had seen content involving dangerous dares or challenges. A further 26% reported seeing material related to self-harm or extreme thinness.
Hateful messages were reported by 15% of Irish children at least once a month. Age made a substantial difference: 12% of 10-year-olds said they had encountered hateful content, compared with 74% of respondents aged 15 or 16.
Across all participating countries, 40% had encountered violent imagery. The study also found that 23% of children had been upset online during the previous month, up from 7% in 2020. Only 48% said they felt safe online, down from 65% in the earlier survey.
Why communication matters
The research indicates that parental conversations about online activity have declined. Half of children said their parents talk to them about what they do online, compared with 66% in 2020. At the same time, parents appear to be relying more heavily on parental controls.
Controls can help limit exposure, but they work best alongside regular, age-appropriate conversations. Children need to know how to report abusive content, question unreliable AI-generated answers and seek help when online experiences become distressing.
Article/Image Courtesy: The Irish Times
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What should families and schools do?
- Discuss how AI tools are being used for homework and explain the difference between assistance and submitting work that is not a child’s own.
- Encourage children to check AI-generated information against trusted sources.
- Use privacy settings, reporting tools and parental controls where appropriate.
- Create a safe route for children to discuss violent, hateful or upsetting content.
- Teach digital literacy, including how algorithms and recommendation systems influence what users see.
Frequently asked questions
How many Irish children use AI for schoolwork?
Among Irish respondents who reported using AI, 19% said they used it to write essays or stories, and 19% used it to summarise or explain longer texts.
What online risks did Irish children report?
Participants reported exposure to violent imagery, dangerous challenges, self-harm-related material, extreme-thinness content and hateful messages.
What is the main lesson from the survey?
AI use and online risks should be addressed together through digital literacy, open family communication and effective online safety support.
The takeaway for Ireland
This research shows why tech news Ireland must cover both innovation and protection. AI can support learning when used responsibly, but children also need guidance on accuracy, privacy, wellbeing and safe online behaviour. Families and schools should combine practical safeguards with honest conversations so young people can benefit from Irish technology without facing digital risks alone.
