Aotearoa New Zealand’s youth are engaging with generative AI at unprecedented speed, yet safety guidance, resources, and regulation have not kept pace. This project will map current risks, gaps, and opportunities to build digital wellbeing for rangatahi and whānau.
This project is a collaboration between the Artificial Intelligence Safety Forum (AISF), Netsafe, and The Light Project, and is sponsored by the Spark Foundation.
Generative AI tools such as chatbots, AI companions, deepfake and image apps, are increasingly shaping how young people learn, socialise, and seek support. Risks include exposure to sexualised or manipulative AI content, misinformation, and privacy breaches. Parents, educators, and frontline workers lack knowledge and resources to guide youth safely. There is no national picture of the scale or impact of these issues.
The Artificial Intelligence Safety Forum, Netsafe, and The Light Project, will collaborate to:
This seed project forms Phase 1 of a larger national initiative, building evidence now to enable long-term investment in AI safety resources for youth and whānau. We aim to establish Aotearoa New Zealand as a global leader in youth digital wellbeing in the age of AI.
This report looks at how young people are actually using generative AI, the risks and harms they’re running into, and what would help them navigate it more safely. The findings pull from three sources: international and local research, feedback from frontline youth stakeholders, and a national survey of 1,202 young people aged 13 to 24.
For general enquiries, media requests, or to discuss supporting this project, please email [email protected]
