Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer merely a scientific concept; it has become part of the daily lives of youth. From education and work to personal advice, this technology is gradually finding its place among Afghan youth as well. A survey by Salam Watandar, based on 1,154 young respondents (50.6% men and 49.4% women) across 32 provinces of Afghanistan, shows that 84.1% of youth have used artificial intelligence at least once in areas such as work, education, and personal life, while 92% of respondents are familiar with AI.
At the same time, 82% of respondents say that the use of artificial intelligence has reduced their consultations with humans, and 58.1% of youth are concerned about the increasing “mechanization” of their decision-making. Majority of respondents are familiar with AI. Out of 1,154 respondents, 92% report being familiar with artificial intelligence. This figure, contrary to common perceptions about limited access in Afghanistan, indicates a significant penetration of AI among youth. Only 8% of respondents report having no familiarity with AI at all.
Farzana Farahmand, a 23-year-old from Daikundi who has been familiar with artificial intelligence for two years, says she mostly uses it for editing images and videos, visualization, and information gathering.
“It has been about two years since I started using artificial intelligence more actively. My level of familiarity is good. I use it more in my work, and my usage has increased compared to before because it speeds up tasks, saves time, and improves the quality of work,” she says.
81% of respondents receive advice from AI in educational, work-related, and personal matters. Among them, 42.5% use it for academic purposes, 23.2% for work-related issues, and 15.3% for personal matters.
Faisal, a 22-year-old student from Faryab studying Computer Science, says, “I mostly use AI for educational purposes. When I face difficult questions, I use it to simplify the topic. I also use it for writing articles, preparing slides, and practicing English. For example, once I asked it to prepare a regular study plan for my final exams.”
AI content creation and advisory applications are the most widely used among youth. Survey findings show that chatbots such as ChatGPT and Gemini are the most widely used tools among youth, accounting for 71.3% (823 respondents). Similarly, 9.5% use educational applications, 7.5% use content creation tools, and 3.6% use voice assistants to obtain advice.
Shakila, a 25-year-old from Sar-e-Pul, says she uses AI daily for improving her teaching process. She adds that chatbots help her simplify hard topics and make her classroom more engaging.
“I use AI almost every day, sometimes two to three times a day or even more. I have used ChatGPT and Gemini, and my experience has been very positive. It has made my work much easier. For example, preparing a lesson used to take one to two hours, but now I can get an idea within a few minutes,” she adds.
More than 76% of respondents have used AI to save time, improve skills, and access a wide range of information. Survey results show that 37.3% of youth use AI for quick access to information, 19.5% for saving time, and 19.4% for learning and skill development.
Mirwais, a 30-year-old from Faryab, says, “It has been more than a year since I became familiar with artificial intelligence. It has created many conveniences for me, especially in preparing reports and even for marketing when necessary. Before I became familiar with AI, I faced many difficulties in preparing reports and project proposals.”
82% of respondents say that the use of AI has reduced their consultation with humans. Among them, 43.7% (504 respondents) are concerned about reduced human sensitivity, 58.1% (670 respondents) are concerned about excessive mechanization of decision-making, 20.9% report reduced consultation with friends and family, 18.3% are concerned about inaccurate AI-generated advice, and 7.1% are concerned about job loss due to automation.
Ahmadfayaz Parsa, a 35-year-old from Kunduz, say that extensive use of AI has increased their dependence on machines rather than humans. He says,
“I have been using AI for seven months. It has had a negative impact on my life. I have become distant from everyone. Whatever I feel, I ask ChatGPT. I even spend a lot of time talking to it. I ask questions. I feel very comfortable with it. Since I started using it, I have become distant from my family and friends. I don’t like going out or talking with friends; I use AI for every kind of question or matter.”
Khadija Mohammadi, a 35-year-old from Kunduz also says, “Because I use AI excessively, it has had a significant impact on my social relationships. For example, I no longer interact with people as much or participate actively in occasions. I feel that I no longer need people. When I feel lonely, tired, or upset, I talk to AI. I also realize that it has greatly distanced me from society, my friends, and my family.”
Technology experts, while emphasizing the rapid growth of AI use among youth, recommend ensuring the protection of users’ privacy in the use of AI. Badrullah Danesh, a technology expert, says,
“We lack proper infrastructure, stable internet, and reliable electricity, and technological access is not available in all regions. Research shows that more than 80% of youth in Afghanistan are familiar with artificial intelligence and use it in their daily lives. The recommendation is that privacy must be protected, AI should not replace humans, and further research is needed for its proper use.”
On the other hand, some university lecturers warn that excessive use of AI can severely damage the critical thinking skills of educated youth. Ahmad Reshad Azimi, a university lecturer, says,
“If AI-generated content is fully accepted as complete information, it will undoubtedly severely damage critical thinking, which is one of the key indicators of literacy in the 21st century. Instead, information obtained from AI should not be accepted as final; rather, it should be viewed with skepticism, and all such information should be carefully reviewed.”
Zuhal Amirzada, a psychologist, says that excessive dependence on AI can limit the social and emotional development of youth. She emphasizes the importance of using this technology in a purposeful way while maintaining real-life activities and human interaction.
“Excessive use of AI can affect the mental well-being of youth. Skills such as empathy, conflict resolution, and emotional understanding may develop less. The use of AI should be scheduled; it should not be used in personal relationships and should be viewed as a problem-solving. In addition, activities such as exercise and reading physical books should also be maintained,” she adds.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology says that the use of AI in various sectors requires serious caution and emphasizes that a special team is currently reviewing how this technology can be utilized in Afghanistan. Anayatullah Alokozay, spokesperson for the ministry, says,
“Media is the most important address through which public mind can be shaped, either by misleading it or guiding it in the right direction. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is paying attention to all aspects, including how to manage internet traffic in Afghanistan, how to implement digital governance, and how to analyze all the positive and negative capabilities in order to provide services to the public.”
Jalaluddin Shams, spokesperson for the Afghanistan Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ATRA), says that currently 29 million citizens use telecommunication services and 16 million people use the internet across the country. He adds that efforts are underway to expand telecommunication services to remote areas.
“Telecommunication services have reached rural and remote areas across the country, and most internet users are youth. We are working to ensure that areas deprived of internet services also receive telecommunication services. In terms of prices, the ATRA administration is also working to reduce costs. Currently, 550 telecommunication antennas are under construction, and 300 of them are already active, providing services in rural areas,” he says.
Previously, in December 2024, Salam Watandar conducted a survey among 395 educated youth across Afghanistan. The results showed that 74% of respondents were familiar with AI and its usage methods, while 26.4% had no awareness of AI. However, the current survey indicates that 84.1% of youth have used artificial intelligence at least once for advice, and 82% report that consultation with friends and family has decreased.
Reporter: Hosai Afghan
