Pew Research Center’s latest teen-focused survey puts hard data behind what many marketers have sensed: teens are deeply embedded in digital life, and artificial intelligence is now part of the mix. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 have used AI chatbots, and about 30% are chatting with them daily.
At the same time, traditional platforms like YouTube and TikTok continue to dominate teen attention spans, with about 1 in 5 teens saying they use these platforms almost constantly. For marketers aiming to stay relevant with Gen Z, these numbers underscore a need to rethink how, where, and with what tools they engage youth audiences.
This article explores key insights from the report and what they mean for brands and marketers trying to reach teens who are simultaneously loyal to platforms and experimental with AI.
Short on time?
Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- The new normal: teens on YouTube, TikTok, and chatbots
- Demographic deep dives: who’s using what, and how often
- What marketers should know
Patrecia Meliana
Teens on YouTube, TikTok, and chatbots
Despite widespread debates around screen time and digital health, social platforms are still dominant among U.S. teens. YouTube remains king, used by roughly 92% of teens and visited daily by three-quarters of them. TikTok and Instagram also remain sticky, with 68% and 63% daily use respectively.
But AI chatbots are the big plot twist. Pew’s 2025 survey reveals that 64% of teens use chatbots, and about 16% report using them several times a day or almost constantly. Among teens who do use them, OpenAI’s ChatGPT leads the pack by a wide margin, used by 59%, followed by Gemini (23%) and Meta AI (20%).
Character.ai, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude lag behind, though adoption rates could shift as more platforms integrate chat into daily workflows or content experiences.
Patrecia Meliana
Demographic deep dives
The Pew study also unpacks usage by gender, race, income, and political leanings, painting a nuanced picture of teen digital behavior:
- Race and ethnicity: Black and Hispanic teens are the heaviest users across several platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Meta AI. For instance, 82% of Black teens use Instagram compared to just 55% of White teens.
- Age: Older teens aged 15 to 17 consistently outpace younger ones aged 13 to 14 in using nearly every platform. Notably, ChatGPT and Meta AI skew older, likely due to their utility in schoolwork and productivity.
- Income: Teens from lower- and middle-income households are more active on Facebook and TikTok, while ChatGPT is more common among higher-income teens.
- Partisan ID: Teens identifying as Democrats are more likely than Republican teens to use TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube. This is important context for campaign messaging and issue-based marketing.
And let’s not forget time spent online. Nearly all teens are online daily, with 40% saying they are almost constantly connected. That number climbs to 55% for Black teens and 52% for Hispanic teens.
What marketers should know
If you’re targeting Gen Z, your strategy can’t be built on assumptions from even two years ago. Here’s what today’s data suggests:
1. Chatbots are becoming the new “influencers” for search and info
With 64% of teens using AI chatbots and nearly one in three using them daily, these tools are no longer fringe. Marketers should think about how their brand’s information is presented in chatbot responses. Structured data, conversational SEO, and helpful FAQ content matter more than ever.
2. YouTube still matters, probably more than ever
TikTok may get the headlines, but YouTube gets the attention. With daily use spanning all demographic groups, YouTube is still the top choice for longform content, creator collaborations, and educational content. Brands that overlook this channel risk missing the bulk of teen engagement.
3. Platform strategy must be segmented by income, race, and age
Gen Z is not one-size-fits-all. Lower-income teens over-index on Facebook, while ChatGPT is more common in affluent homes. Black and Hispanic teens use Instagram and TikTok at higher rates than White teens. Segment your content and campaigns to match these patterns.
4. AI is becoming native to teen behavior
Teens are integrating AI into schoolwork, entertainment, and everyday conversations. Marketers should not fear AI but should understand how it changes content expectations. Brands can experiment with AI tools for engagement, but authenticity must remain a priority.
5. Always-on behavior demands smarter content timing
With 36% of teens using at least one social platform almost constantly, the traditional notion of “peak posting times” may be obsolete. This presents an opportunity for real-time campaigns, chatbot-driven support, or always-available educational content.
Pew’s 2025 data confirms what digital strategists have long suspected. Gen Z’s online habits are complex, deeply social, and increasingly AI-native. Marketers who want to keep up need to think platform by platform, segment by segment, and stay flexible as tools like chatbots shift how young people interact with brands.
This isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about adapting to a new kind of digital fluency—one where AI is as normal as Instagram and content is consumed at every hour of the day.
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