New Delhi: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is fast becoming part of children’s learning routines in India, but a deep misconception about what the technology actually does is spreading just as quickly. Bharat Survey for EdTech 2025, released by Central Square Foundation on Wednesday, showed 35% of children who already use edtech are using GenAI tools for learning, even as nearly three-fourths of GenAI-aware children wrongly believe these tools are simply internet search engines. The survey, conducted between July 2025 and Jan 2026 covering 12,500 households and 2,500 teachers across 10 states, showed that for children from low-income households, GenAI adoption is no more experimental: 96% use it multiple times a week, and 69% operate it daily.

Why GenAI appeals to kids

Yet, understanding lags sharply behind usage. While 85% of GenAI-aware children said they understood how it works, 72% equated it with a search application, blurring the line between probabilistic AI-generated responses and verified online information. This gap is critical as 46% of respondents flagged “wrong information” as a key risk associated with edtech and GenAI use, alongside concerns about overuse. The report showed that children were primarily using GenAI for school-linked activities, with 73% relying on it for doubt-solving and practice, 48% for learning new skills or language translation, and 32% for test preparation. The main attractions are easy-to-understand explanations (45%), quick responses that save time (41%), and interactive formats (40%) – features that make GenAI especially appealing in homes where adult academic support may be limited. However, experts warned that high-frequency use without foundational AI literacy could amplify risks. The New Delhi-based NGO said the findings highlighted an urgent need to move beyond access and adoption metrics.