The AI Century Study

The AI Century Study is a 100‑year national research effort led by AIR to understand how artificial intelligence is shaping human development, life experiences, and society over time.

Beginning with the first generation of children growing up in an AI-integrated world and their families, the study will follow participants from communities across the United States through school, work, and civic life—creating a long-term evidence base that short-term studies cannot provide.

Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, but its most important effects will unfold over decades. Decisions made today and in the future about technology policy and how AI is used in education, health care, work, and society will shape outcomes across entire lifetimes. 

Most existing research captures only snapshots in time. The AI Century Study is designed to understand how change accumulates—how early exposure to AI relates to human development, opportunity, well-being, and life trajectories as people grow and as society adapts.

The study is a national, longitudinal cohort study using a mixed-methods approach.

Participants will take part in repeated data collections over time, drawing on multiple sources such as surveys, interviews, and administrative records (for example, education, employment, and health records, where appropriate). The study will examine changes within individuals, across life stages, and across generations.

Importantly, the study is non‑experimental. It is designed to observe and document patterns and associations, not to intervene or manipulate AI exposure.

The primary study population is AI‑native children and their families across the United States, drawn from a wide range of communities.

The study will include participants from places with very different levels of access to technology and digital infrastructure, allowing researchers to examine how AI exposure and outcomes vary across geography, community context, and background characteristics.

AIR strongly prioritizes protecting privacy. The identity of the participants and their families and their personally identifiable information will be kept strictly confidential.

The AI Century Study will examine a broad set of questions, such as:

• How do people encounter and use AI in everyday settings, and how does that change as technology spreads?
• How is AI exposure related to learning and development, health and well-being, skills, and economic and civic outcomes?
• How do these patterns differ across life stages, places, and communities?

The value of a study like this grows over time, but that doesn’t mean waiting decades to learn anything. AIR will share ongoing public updates, reports, and resources as data collection begins and as findings emerge. Subscribe for updates to follow the work. 

The AI Century Study is a major, mission-driven investment by AIR. Over time, we expect to work with a range of partners including philanthropy, government, universities, and potentially the private sector to support different phases of the work.

What won’t change is the study’s independence; the study is not designed to evaluate or promote any single AI tool, company, or product. AIR will remain transparent about funding and collaborations as the work evolves, and any partnerships will be structured to protect AIR’s research independence and the integrity of the findings.

AIR will share updates and learning as the study takes shape.

• Subscribe for updates to follow the work.
• Contact the study team to explore collaboration or learn more.