Generative artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of children’s learning and everyday digital practices; however, parents’ awareness and attitudes towards these technologies remain insufficiently explored. This article analyses parents’ perceptions of their children’s use of generative AI, focusing on parental awareness, perceived educational opportunities, effects on learning, and ethical and safety-related risks. The study involved 189 parents of school-age children, and data were collected through an online survey. The results show that parents’ general awareness of generative AI is moderate to moderately high, but their specific knowledge of the purposes for which children use it remains uneven. Parents associate AI with quick access to answers, easier completion of tasks, and better understanding of learning material, but they are more cautious about its impact on critical thinking and deeper learning. The study also identified a high level of perceived risk, particularly regarding privacy, misinformation, excessive trust in AI, age-inappropriate content, and bias. Overall, the findings reveal an ambivalent parental attitude: generative AI is perceived as a useful learning support tool, but also as a technology that poses significant risks.
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