Get Off My Lawn! A.I. Already Belongs to the Young
A generational divide around artificial intelligence use is no longer anecdotal and it is accelerating. Recent studies show that adults aged 18 to 25 account for nearly half of ChatGPT activity, even before counting users under 18. Newer research from 2025 extends the picture downward, finding that older teens already rely on A.I. tools for schoolwork, creativity, and daily problem solving, often without formal instruction. Older adults remain more distant, engaging through policy debates, workplace pilots, or ethical concern rather than habit. Earlier technology shifts followed a similar path, but A.I. adoption is moving faster and with less institutional mediation. The result is not just a usage gap but a cultural one, separating those who treat A.I. as infrastructure from those still evaluating whether to adopt it at all.
Further Reading
Conollyb, A house in Brewarrina, New South Wales, 2008. A modest Australian front yard featuring a recycled tyre garden ornament, once a common domestic detail. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0.