Children’s charity Barnardos is urging the Government to incorporate practical lessons on artificial intelligence (AI) into the school curriculum. The Barnardos Online Safety Programme’s latest report, Exploring AI with Children and Young People, revealed that 63% of children learned about AI through social media.
The report also highlighted that over half of children expressed interest in learning more about AI at school. Concerns from parents and teachers about the use of AI were apparent, with 93% of parents worried about their children using AI and 95% of teachers lacking training in the subject.
Niamh McLoughlin, Barnardos Online Safety Programme Co-Ordinator, emphasized the importance of understanding both the benefits and risks of AI. The charity is advocating for accessible resources for parents and clear guidelines for teachers to navigate children’s engagement with AI.
The report, based on focus groups and surveys conducted in 2024, involved over 500 children, 101 parents, and 63 teachers. Barnardos, in collaboration with Google.org, has been working since 2019 to educate 90,000 children in 800 schools about online safety.