UNICEF Examines AI Governance Risks as 20 Million Children Use the Technology

A UNICEF survey found that about 20 million children worldwide use AI tools and learn to use them three times faster than adults. Because children’s cognitive and decision-making abilities are still developing, generative AI could amplify risks including misinformation, deepfake abuse, privacy breaches and inappropriate content, making children’s rights a key issue in technology governance.

UNICEF’s latest report warned that most existing AI safety regulations and governance frameworks do not treat children as a group requiring special protection, leaving them ill-equipped to address rapidly growing use. Citing about 20 million child users worldwide and a learning rate three times that of adults, the report urged governments and technology companies to incorporate child protection into product design, data collection and risk assessments. The event data did not specify the report’s publication date.