Interview Data on Adolescents’ Continued Use of Artificial Intelligence: A Qualitative Study in China
Description
This dataset was generated to explore why and how adolescents continue to use artificial intelligence (AI) beyond initial adoption, with a focus on psychological needs, usage experiences, and social contexts. The study is guided by the assumption that adolescents’ continued AI use cannot be sufficiently explained by instrumental usefulness alone, but instead emerges from the interaction between developmental needs, lived experiences during AI use, and perceived consequences over time. The dataset consists of anonymized semi-structured interview transcripts collected from 58 Chinese adolescents aged 12–18 with prior experience using AI applications (e.g., generative AI tools, AI learning assistants, and conversational AI systems). Data were collected between January and March 2025 through one-on-one interviews conducted both in person and online. Interview topics included AI usage behaviors, motivations, emotional and social experiences, perceived benefits and risks, and influences from family, peers, and school environments. All interviews were audio-recorded with informed consent from participants and their guardians, transcribed verbatim, and anonymized. The data show that adolescents’ continued AI use is associated with multiple interconnected factors beyond functional efficiency. Qualitative thematic analysis reveals recurring patterns related to perceived value, emotional experiences, self-expansion, pseudo-social belonging, and social influences. Participants describe AI not only as a learning and productivity tool, but also as a resource for emotional regulation, identity exploration, and social positioning. Notable findings reflected in the data include adolescents’ reliance on AI for emotional coping, its role as a low-risk space for identity experimentation, and the moderating influence of parental attitudes, peer norms, and school regulations on continued use intentions. These patterns informed the development of a Needs–Experiences–Consequences (NEC) dynamic conceptual model, which conceptualizes conttinued AI use as a cyclical process in which usage experiences generate cognitive, emotional, and social consequences that feed back into underlying needs. Due to ethical considerations related to research involving minors, the dataset does not include the complete set of raw interview transcripts. Sensitive or potentially identifiable content has been removed or withheld. Additional materials may be made available upon reasonable request for academic research purposes by contacting the corresponding author, subject to ethical review. This dataset is intended for qualitative and interpretive research on adolescent–AI interaction, technology continuance behavior, and developmental implications of emerging AI technologies.
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Institutions
- Sichuan Normal UniversitySichuan, Chengdu