Most Irish parents worry AI is outpacing their children's ability to stay safe
If you’ve ever caught your 12-year-old asking ChatGPT to explain something before they’ve even tried to think it through themselves, you’re far from alone. New research from Vodafone Foundation has put numbers to the quiet worry that’s been sitting in the back of many parents’ minds: almost two-thirds of parents of 11–14-year-olds are concerned that AI could affect their child’s ability to think or learn independently.
The research, conducted by Core Research among 1,000 adults in Ireland, was unveiled this week at the Connecting Everyone: The Future of Digital Inclusion event at Vodafone Ireland’s headquarters on Stephen’s Green in Dublin. The event brought together government representatives, educators, charities and industry figures to look at what digital inclusion actually means in practice — and who’s being left behind.
The AI generation gap is very real
Here’s the thing: nearly half of all children under 18 in Ireland are already using AI (47%). Among 11–14-year-olds specifically, the figure is even higher — almost two-thirds of parents say their child is already at it. What are they using it for? Finding information tops the list at 68%, followed by entertainment (58%), creating content (54%), getting advice or recommendations (36%) and schoolwork (30%).
The problem is that 55% of parents of children in that age group don’t feel their child is equipped to use AI and other digital technologies safely and responsibly. Two-thirds of those parents (67%) worry their child won’t recognise misinformation or AI-generated content. More than half (53%) feel their child simply doesn’t have enough education about AI, and 52% are concerned about online safety risks including scams, grooming and cyberbullying.
It’s worth sitting with that for a second. More than half of parents feel their children are out ahead of them on a technology that the parents themselves are still trying to figure out. Three in four adults in Ireland say technology is evolving faster than they can keep up with. We’re all learning on the job here.
Three generations connect across old and new communication tech.
Parents are stepping up — even without a roadmap
Despite feeling underprepared, parents aren’t sitting back. Among those whose 11–14-year-olds use AI, two-thirds (66%) say they talk to their child about safe and responsible use. Sixty-five per cent encourage them not to share personal information with AI tools. Nearly half (47%) actively check or discuss the information AI gives their child. That’s a lot of parents doing their best with a very new set of challenges.
Liz Roche, Head of Vodafone Foundation in Ireland, acknowledged that the pace of change is leaving people struggling to keep up. “Technology is evolving incredibly quickly and bringing huge opportunities, but people don’t necessarily feel equally confident keeping pace,” she said. “Digital inclusion is about much more than having access to a device or being online. It is about having the confidence, skills and support to use technology safely and benefit from it. That looks different across generations, which is why our focus is on practical support for older people, young people and families.”
James Geoghegan TD, Vice-Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence, was equally direct. “We cannot have a situation where people are simply expected to figure all of this out for themselves. Government, industry and our education system need to make AI literacy a priority. That means giving older people the confidence and skills to benefit from new technology, while making sure our children know how to use AI safely, question what it tells them and recognise when information simply isn’t true.”
What support is coming
Vodafone Foundation runs two programmes worth knowing about. Hi Digital provides free digital skills training for older adults, with more than 200,000 people having already benefitted. From October, it will expand to include new AI literacy content developed with Age-Friendly AI, Ireland’s national AI literacy initiative for older adults.
For younger people, there’s Tozi — a free digital wellbeing and online safety app aimed specifically at 11–14-year-olds. Developed with DCU’s Anti-Bullying Centre and ISPCC Childline, it offers practical tools, age-appropriate content and round-the-clock access to ISPCC Childline support.
None of this is simple. The research makes clear that figuring out AI isn’t just a job for schools or governments — families are already in the thick of it, muddling through the same way we muddle through most of parenting. The good news is that talking about it, asking questions and not pretending to have all the answers is, apparently, exactly the right approach.