Girls rate AI as a smarter tutor, funnier comedian, and more reliable source of entertainment than their parents, new Girl Scouts survey reveals

(SeaPRwire) –   While Girl Scout cookies remain a popular item, young girls are increasingly relying on AI to handle tasks such as homework assistance, humor, and emotional support. A recent survey by the Girl Scouts of the USA indicates that artificial intelligence has subtly become a staple in the lives of girls aged 5 to 13, though most parents are unaware of the extent of its integration into their daily routines.

According to the survey conducted by Wakefield Research in March 2026, 65% of girls who utilize voice-activated assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Home consider them friends. Furthermore, 62% view AI companions or chatbots as friends. Among this demographic, two-thirds have sought assistance from AI when experiencing sadness, distress, anxiety, or loneliness.

Nearly half of the girls (47%) believe AI surpasses their parents in providing homework help, a figure that rises to 57% among Black girls. AI is also perceived to have superior taste in pop culture: half of the girls prefer AI over their parents for recommendations on songs, shows, or movies. Similarly, nearly half (48%) find AI better at entertaining them when bored or telling a joke.

Despite the widespread presence of AI, parents seem largely oblivious to how deeply it is embedded in their children’s lives. Although 51% of girls report using AI at least once a day, only 32% of parents believe their daughters do so. Fathers were slightly more accurate in their assessment at 38%, compared to 28% of mothers.

“Many families have been using voice assistants and AI-powered features for so long that they may no longer register them as AI,” Bonnie Barczykowski, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, told . “Girls may also encounter AI without actively seeking it out: on school-issued devices, in apps, through search engines, and in recommendation systems.”

She continued: “In many cases, it is simply built into the tools and platforms they use every day.”

This dynamic extends to emotional support as well. Forty-four percent of parents admit it is likely their child occasionally asks AI chatbots for personal guidance. Among girls who use AI, 47% have sought its help when feeling down or anxious. Additionally, 43% of girls stated they would turn to AI rather than a parent if they felt their parent was too busy to respond.

A majority of parents (54%) express disapproval of AI chatbots offering mental health advice to children and teenagers. Another 35% are open to the idea but remain skeptical.

Sixty-one percent of girls claim it is easy to distinguish between real and fabricated information provided by AI, with confidence peaking at 69% among girls aged 11 to 13. However, only 42% have received instruction on how to verify the truthfulness of AI-generated content. Meanwhile, 71% of parents worry that their children cannot reliably tell the difference.

More than half of parents (56%) feel unprepared to teach their children how to use AI safely. Yet, 76% of parents use AI themselves, including 86% of fathers and 68% of mothers.

Barczykowski noted that the findings highlight the significant technological gap between parents and their children. “This survey shows that AI is already part of many girls’ everyday lives—not just for schoolwork or entertainment, but sometimes for advice and emotional support,” she stated.

“Technology can be helpful, but girls still need real-world experiences, trusted role models, and spaces where they can build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging.”

Regarding the discovery that girls find AI funnier than their fathers or more helpful with homework than their mothers, Barczykowski sought to alleviate parental concerns, particularly regarding “dad jokes.” “These findings are less about ‘replacing’ parents and more about understanding where girls perceive AI as useful, engaging, or responsive in their daily lives.”

The survey also revealed that 82% of parents believe AI can be beneficial to their children in some capacity, with 53% identifying homework help as a specific advantage. This view was especially strong among Hispanic parents, at 61%.

Daily AI usage grows with age: 40% of girls aged 5 to 7 use it daily, compared to 56% of girls aged 8 to 10 and 60% of girls aged 11 to 13.

“As these tools become more common, that kind of grounding matters even more,” Barczykowski concluded.