Today is World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”, calls for people with lived experience to shape the policies, services and decisions that affect their lives, rather than simply being asked to share their stories. Throughout 2026, we at A1 Research have been actively monitoring AI and its proximity to children, and the theme feels especially relevant here. When it comes to AI, children are the ones with lived experience: they use these tools every day, often in ways adults do not see, and some are turning to them for emotional support. Any tool is only as useful as the way it is designed, implemented and regulated, and children’s knowledge should inform all three.
What children tell us about AI
The latest research from EU Kids Online, based on a survey of more than 25,000 children aged 9 to 16 across Europe and interviews with 244 young people aged 13 to 17, confirms that generative AI is now part of everyday childhood. Around two in three children had used it in the past month, most often to summarise or explain texts (34%) or to write essays for school (33%). Smaller but notable shares had used it to talk about physical health or fitness (15%) or about what worries them (14%). The data were collected in 2025, and the researchers note that use has likely grown since. The interviews add depth to these figures. Some children describe turning to chatbots during periods of loneliness, worry or emotional vulnerability, valuing their constant availability and non-judgemental tone. Yet children also showed judgement about its limits, and generally did not see it as a substitute for human support when the stakes are high.
Why this matters for mental health
A friendly, non-judgemental tone can encourage children to raise issues they feel too ashamed or embarrassed to discuss with adults, but it also carries risks. A review by Cheng et al. (2026) found that AI is notably sycophantic, likely to agree with the user regardless of what they say, even when harmful behaviours are described. This can pose danger to vulnerable children and may delay access to the psychosocial care they need. EU Kids Online also found that some children trust AI more than other sources of information, a tendency most evident among younger children and those with fewer critical skills. At the same time, many parents are largely unaware of how their children use AI, and children themselves worry about what lies ahead: 40% fear that AI may escape effective human control.
Responsibility and accountability
Within the context of AI use in mental health support services, child helplines and safety systems, AI can be very useful in decreasing workload and streamlining procedures. However, it is important to underline that AI is to be used as a complement rather than a replacement for trained professionals, and is to never directly interact with the child service users. This statement is reflected in the Livingstone Declaration that was adopted at the International Consultation for Child Helplines in 2025, which our very own Dr. Lorleen Farrugia contributed to as part of her collaboration with Child Helpline International.
From listening to action
The children in the EU Kids Online study did not only describe risks; they proposed remedies. They called for safety by design and for developers to take responsibility, and some said they would prefer guidance on how to use AI well rather than restrictions or bans. Their views echo the 5Rights Foundation’s calls for transparency on how AI is trained and updated, for regulation that puts user safety first, and for frequent evaluation of AI models and their impact. The researchers also stress that children must be able to meaningfully exercise their right to be consulted under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, including before AI tools are rolled out in schools.
This World Mental Health Day, the challenge is to move from hearing children’s experiences of AI to acting on them. That means involving children in the design and evaluation of the digital tools and support services they use, including those for mental health, and building them with children, not merely for them.
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