Microsoft survey finds 91% of people worry about AI harms as teen exposure to online risks rises
The company marked Safer Internet Day by publishing research spanning ten years and more than 130,000 interviews across 37 countries
Courtney Gregoire, the company's chief digital safety officer, said Microsoft's Global Online Safety Survey now encompasses more than 130,000 interviews across 37 countries over ten years.
The latest consumer report, based on nearly 15,000 teenagers aged 13 to 17 and adults surveyed last summer across 15 countries, found that 91% of respondents worry about harms introduced by artificial intelligence.
The survey found that teens' exposure to online harms has increased, with hate speech reported by 35%, scams by 29% and cyberbullying by 23%.
However, Microsoft said young people are showing resilience, with 72% saying they talked to someone after experiencing a risk and reporting rates rising for a second consecutive year.
The company said the application process has closed for its first AI Futures Youth Council, which will include teenagers from the US and European Union.
Microsoft has also partnered with Cyberlite, the digital literacy organisation, on youth-centred workshops in India and Singapore.
Early findings from the first workshop in December 2025 showed that teens value AI as a judgment-free space but raised concerns about privacy risks, overreliance and the erosion of critical thinking.
Across its products, Microsoft said it is updating safety tools and resources on Windows, Xbox and Minecraft Education.
The company announced CyberSafe: Bad Connection?, the fifth instalment in its Minecraft Education safety series, which addresses online recruitment and radicalisation.
The CyberSafe series has reached more than 80 million downloads since 2022.
Related reading
- Microsoft: AI conversations reshape retail search
- Microsoft backs FBI cybersecurity drive targeting basic security failures
- Google Photos adds AI-powered Ask button for image search and editing
Microsoft noted that its Family Safety controls have been integrated into its products for more than a decade and that some countries have raised the local age for digital consent, allowing parental controls up to age 18.
The company said full survey results and country summaries are available on its website.
The Recap
- Microsoft marked Safer Internet Day with safety-by-design focus.
- Global survey spans ten years and 130,000+ interviews.
- New Minecraft CyberSafe release tackles online recruitment risks.
