Understanding Youth Digital Behavior: A Study on the Unconscious influence of AI on Decision-Making and Social Perceptions

Abstract

AI is changing the way today’s youth interacts with the digital world, influencing their decision-making, information-gathering and connecting with others. Nowadays, assistants, recommendation systems, and algorithm-curated ads are forms of AI that youth interact with in their daily digital spaces. The AI interactions of young people with content on different platforms is the focus of the paper. Monitoring the impact of AI on the behaviour, choices, perception and online experience of young people is more crucial than ever due to reliance on content and recommendation systems, automation and algorithmic moderation. Surveys were administered to investigate how frequently people use the AI-powered features, how relevant AI is in their decision-making, and what young people think about data privacy, trust and mental health. The findings reveal that youth are increasingly using AI products with a growing awareness of the impact and ethical issues faced because of AI technology, which suggests a complicated attitude of cautious acceptance. The findings stress on youth-centric approaches incorporating ethics and openness to develop AI systems. The key message is that designing AI systems which promote ethical care around children and young people’s privacy is of utmost importance.  Legislators, educators, and technology companies can work together to resolve these issues and create safer, more encouraging online spaces. In the end, the study calls for a holistic approach where AI can potentially enhance experiences without compromising the autonomy and mental health of youth.