What 7,000 teens in Europe told us about the future of technology

The next ten years of European tech innovation will be shaped by the digital habits of a generation that's never known life without wi-fi. What do teens really want out of technology? And where do they intend to take it?

To find out, we partnered with the youth consultancy Livity, surveying more than 7,000 teens aged 13-18 across Ireland, Poland, Greece, Spain, Italy, France, and Sweden. "The Future Report" reveals a generation of Europeans who aren't simply using technology, but are actively shaping its evolution to better benefit their learning, creativity, and wellbeing.

AI: helping teens to learn and create

It's not news to say that teenagers have embraced AI tools: 4 out of 10 (40%) use them daily or almost daily. And why? The vast majority (81%) say it improves their creativity. As many as 65% say it helps them come up with "new ideas or solutions to problems," and 47% say it helps "explain difficult topics in different ways." Yet, more than a quarter (28%) say their schools have not approved the use of any AI tools. "I think school is lagging behind," says Ali, 18, from Sweden. "I think we should learn how to use AI in a better way than what we do now."

AI: useful - but not infallible

Teens are growing up in an information-rich environment, and they know not to take everything at face value. The majority (55%) say they consider whether content is trustworthy, and nearly half (46%) check information against other sources. And they recognize that AI can be a shortcut, but as Jack, 17, from Ireland, says, "it shouldn't do the thinking for you." Teens surveyed frequently cited the importance of maintaining critical thinking skills - and their care in not becoming over-reliant on AI.

A limited window for parental advice

Parents and guardians are the most trusted source of advice about healthy online habits for nearly a third of teens (32%), followed by friends (12%) and teachers (9%). But teens become less reliant on parents and family members as they grow up. At ages 13-15, more than half of teens (54%) turn to trusted parents or guardians to learn healthy online habits. But at ages 16-18, that number drops to less than one in five (19%), suggesting that the best time for young people to learn good online hygiene is when they're still more open to conversations with the adults in their lives. Through features like supervised experiences on YouTube, parents can more easily guide their pre-teens and teens to healthy digital habits early on.

How tech can open up new worlds

In Europe, young people use YouTube for education inside and outside the classroom: 74% said they watched videos on YouTube to learn something new for school. Tools like YouTube aren't only educational, they can be transporting. "I often discover new cultural figures through YouTube videos," says Szymon, 17, from Poland.

Today's European teens are excited about AI and digital tools. Access can open up new worlds. What teens want is something even more than that: inclusion, guidance, and balance. That's a societal project, and the tech community's challenge.

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