Learning overtakes curiosity as top reason people use AI, Google survey finds
Google’s third annual global survey on AI use shows learning has become the primary reason people turn to AI tools, overtaking entertainment for the first time. The findings were shared on LinkedIn by Fabien Curto Millet, drawing on research conducted with Ipsos across twenty-one countries.
The survey, titled Our Life with AI, is based on responses from twenty-one thousand participants and suggests AI has moved from novelty to utility, particularly in education. According to the data, the majority of people in nearly every country surveyed now report using AI chatbots, with learning cited as the top motivation.
Education users emerge as AI’s most active adopters
The research shows students, teachers, and parents are using AI at higher rates than the general public and report more positive perceptions of its impact on learning. Eighty-five percent of students aged eighteen and over say they use AI, most commonly to help with schoolwork, understand complex topics, and manage day-to-day tasks. Teachers report even higher engagement, with eighty-one percent saying they use AI tools, compared with sixty-six percent of the global public.
Parents also show strong uptake, with seventy-six percent reporting AI use, often for learning, work support, and career-related decisions. Across all three groups, most respondents say AI is improving how they learn, rather than harming cognitive skills.
In a separate six-month pilot in Northern Ireland referenced in the findings, teachers reported saving an average of ten hours per week using Google’s Gemini tools.
Global attitudes toward AI in learning remain largely positive
Outside the United States, Canada, and Europe, attitudes toward AI in education remain broadly positive. In emerging markets, respondents are more likely to believe AI will improve student outcomes through personalized learning than worsen outcomes by eroding critical thinking.
Similar sentiment appears in East Asia, including South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, where respondents report confidence in AI’s role in supporting education despite strong existing academic performance.
The findings suggest acceptance of AI in learning is not limited to early-adopting regions, but is becoming more global and normalized.
Alongside rising usage, the survey highlights growing expectations around how AI tools should be designed and governed. Respondents increasingly expect technology companies and governments to work together to ensure AI supports the public interest and does not deepen existing inequalities.
Ben Gomes, Chief Technologist for Learning and Sustainability at Google, says: “For the first time, the top motivation for using AI is learning. Students, teachers, and parents see value in AI. They use AI at higher rates than the overall public and have emerged as 2025’s AI ‘super users’, with positive perceptions of learning impacts.”
ETIH Innovation Awards 2026
The ETIH Innovation Awards 2026 are now open and recognize education technology organizations delivering measurable impact across K–12, higher education, and lifelong learning. The awards are open to entries from the UK, the Americas, and internationally, with submissions assessed on evidence of outcomes and real-world application.
