Sharp Rise in AI Chatbot Use Among Children Raises Online Safety Concerns

More than one in four primary school children (aged 8–12) and over a third of secondary school children (aged 12–15) in Ireland are now using AI chatbots — a sharp increase that has raised new concerns about online safety for young people.

According to CyberSafeKids annual Trends & Usage Report titled “A Life Behind The Screens,” chatbot use has jumped from just 5% to 26% among 8–12 year olds, and from 12% to 36% among 12–15 year olds in just one year. Children are turning to chatbots for help with schoolwork, to find information, and even to seek companionship or advice — often without safeguards or parental supervision. The charity warns that most digital spaces were never designed for children and continue to fail in protecting them from harm. I spoke to CEO Alex Cooney who said the findings make it clear that "the problem is not just about smartphones — it’s about the entire digital ecosystem children now inhabit." Listen back to the whole conversation here: [audio mp3="https://www.southeastradio.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Siobhan-Package-CyberSafeKidsEmbargoed02.09.2025.mp3"][/audio]