EU Kids Online report, which compares how children and young people across 20 European countries use generative AI. Portugal is part of the study, thanks to the research work of three scholars from NOVA University Lisbon’s School of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA FCSH). Report entitled “Children and teens (9 to 17 years old) and Generative Artificial Intelligence in Portugal”.
Read report here (only available in Portuguese).
A few findings that gave us pause:
- 85% of children and teens in Portugal (ages 9–17) are already using generative AI.
- Nearly half use generative AI for schoolwork: summarizing long texts, helping with assignments across subjects.
- One in four turn to AI for emotional and personal support. Portugal sits 10 points above the European average on this one.
- 52% fear humans will lose control of the technology, and 47% are concerned about dependency and environmental impact.
- But 50% believe these tools will boost human creativity and imagination.
In other words: kids aren’t naive users. They have real concerns and genuine hopes — and it’s on us to help them make sense of it all, separate myth from reality, and build critical thinking skills.
The report offers practical recommendations for Education, which we already integrate into all workshops facilitated by AI goes to school:
- Generative AI literacy needs to become an educational priority.
- Academic integrity means teaching ethical responsibility, copyright, and intellectual property.
- Spotting bias and hallucinations should be a cross-curricular skill, not siloed in one subject.
- Schools play a critical role in ensuring equitable access to AI tools.
Reference: Ponte, C., Batista, S., & Luna, E. (2026). Crianças e jovens (9-17 anos) e Inteligência Artificial Generativa em Portugal. Resultados EU Kids Online, 2025. EU Kids Online.
Website: EU kids online Portugal
