For teenagers around the world, including in India, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a part of everyday lives. They are using it to study for exams, understand difficult concepts, create content, and learn new skills. Global OpenAI data suggests that nine in ten teens already use ChatGPT for learning and skill building in a single week. Users in India are twice as likely to turn to ChatGPT for learning and education queries compared to the global median.

The question, then, is how that use will shape the way they learn, think, and navigate the world.

AI has the potential to personalise learning, bridge educational gaps, and make knowledge more accessible through native-language and voice experiences. But greater access also entails greater responsibility. Teens need protection from harmful and age-inappropriate content, and from patterns of use that could weaken independent thinking or encourage over-reliance.

This is why teen safety has to be about more than simply restricting content. AI products should also help teenagers develop the skills and judgement to use them safely, critically, and independently. That requires building on the........

© hindustantimes