AI is being increasingly mentioned in children’s stories
Oxford University Press analysed more than 46,500 stories written by children
Last updated 2nd Mar 2026
Research by Oxford University Press reveals that children aged five to 11 are mentioning artificial intelligence (AI) and mobile phones more frequently in their stories.
In a study analysing more than 46,500 entries submitted to the BBC 500 Words competition, mentions of AI increased by 50% in 2025 compared to the previous year.
The findings show that children are increasingly personifying AI and expressing concerns over excessive phone usage.
The term "doomscrolling" appeared for the first time in these stories, while references to "brainrot" sharply increased, jumping from one mention last year to 210 in 2025.
This research coincides with the Government's consultation on whether social media should be banned for under-16s.
Oxford University Press identified the presence of AI characters or narrators, such as ChatGPT, in children's stories, alongside themes exploring AI versus humans.
Additionally, children referenced libraries in their stories more than twice as much over the past decade, while mentions of books surged by 25% since 2015.
On the contrary, mentions of Kindles decreased by over 70% in the same period.
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders' union NAHT, commented on the study's implications, highlighting children's awareness of the risks and benefits of AI and phone use.
She stressed the significance of providing support to pupils, teachers, and families to ensure safe and responsible digital technology use.
"It is absolutely vital that children develop critical thinking - to be questioning and able to identify good and bad sources of information - and to understand the risks of harmful content and the importance of data privacy," Hannafin said.
Entries to the competition are added to a database of children's written language, aiding experts in their analysis.
The research also noted that mentions of football fell for the first time in five years, whereas rugby saw a 50% increase since 2024.
Popular toys like Lego, TV shows such as The Traitors, and fairy tale characters like Cinderella and Snow White continue to feature in children’s stories, and the Labubu toy was mentioned for the first time in stories in 2025.
Andrea Quincey, director of early years and primary publishing at Oxford University Press, emphasized the importance of this research in understanding children's use of language and perception of the world.
Growing concern surrounds the effect of technology, particularly smartphones and social media, on young people.
A survey by the UK Safer Internet Centre and Nominet found that nearly all participants aged eight to 17 claimed they use AI, yet 35% believe it hampers their creativity.
The Department for Education (DfE) plans to issue guidance on screentime for under-fives and is consulting on implementing an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s from Monday.
AI tutoring tools are set to become available to schools by the end of 2027.