A new national survey indicates that a significant portion of American teenagers have encountered sexually explicit content generated by artificial intelligence, often without seeking it out. The research, conducted by the nonprofit organization Common Sense Media, involved 1,314 participants aged 13 to 17 and included interviews and focus groups, providing a detailed look at how young people are navigating this emerging digital landscape.
According to the report, nearly half of the surveyed teens reported seeing what they believed to be AI-generated sexual content. Most said they came across it accidentally, frequently through social media platforms. The content ranged from deepfaked nude images of real people to AI-crafted videos depicting individuals in sexually suggestive scenarios, as defined by the researchers.
The findings also revealed that a notable subset of teenagers are not just passive consumers. About 8 percent of respondents admitted to creating such material themselves, while 13 percent said they knew someone who had. Among those involved in creation or sharing, more than 60 percent indicated that the content depicted themselves or people they knew personally, such as peers, friends, or romantic partners—current or former.
Behavioral Shifts and Fear
The prevalence of this content has led to measurable changes in how teens manage their digital lives. Roughly two-thirds of those surveyed expressed at least some concern about being affected by deepfakes. In response, nearly 40 percent have taken steps such as making their social media accounts private, limiting what they share, or deleting their accounts entirely.
Supreet Mann, director of research at Common Sense Media and lead author of the report, noted that this behavioral shift reflects a deeper anxiety. "About two-thirds of teens indicated that they were worried about this, and many of those young people are changing their online behaviors because of that fear," she said. Mann added that this indicates a sense of limited agency among youth in controlling their online presence.
The emotional toll is significant. The report describes cases where teens, particularly girls, have experienced crushing anxiety, panic attacks, and even suicidal thoughts after being targeted. In one instance, a Louisiana family sued a school district after their 13-year-old daughter was expelled for confronting a classmate who had created and shared nonconsensual deepfakes of her and her friends. The boy who generated the images reportedly faced no disciplinary action.
Desire for Dialogue
Despite the challenges, the survey found a positive opening for intervention. Only one in five teens said they had discussed the issue with a trusted adult, but a third expressed a desire to do so, citing uncertainty about how to start the conversation. Younger teens were more inclined to seek adult guidance than their older counterparts, and one in ten said they would feel most comfortable talking to a chatbot about what they were seeing.
Mann emphasized the importance of seizing this "unique window of opportunity" for parents to initiate discussions. "We don't want our kids to be turning to AI chatbots to have conversations, or to not have these conversations at all," she said.
The report also points to broader responsibilities for schools, policymakers, and tech companies. Last week, the city of San Francisco took a notable step by ordering Apple and Google to remove "nudify" apps from their app stores, targeting a key distribution channel for such tools. Mann stressed that addressing the issue requires a multi-pronged approach. "This is something that needs to be tackled from all angles," she said.
As AI technology continues to evolve, the lived experiences of teenagers remain at the forefront. One 17-year-old girl told researchers, "We grew as AI grew. We grew up together. Adults don't have the same life experience that we do. They don't understand how advanced and how intense AI is." Her words underscore the urgency for adults to bridge the gap and provide the support that young people are seeking.
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