More than half of Scottish teenagers are actively looking to learn skills that artificial intelligence (AI) can’t replace, according to new research. 

A survey of more than 500 secondary school pupils aged 13 to 18 found 55% are actively looking to learn a skill that cannot be done by AI, while 60% said they were excited to learn skills that work alongside the technology.

Half (50%) said AI had already made them rethink their career goals, while 53% said their school had encouraged them to use AI because of the opportunities it offers. 

The research was commissioned by Glasgow Kelvin College to mark National Opportunity Day 2026, its annual campaign highlighting the range of education, training and career opportunities available to people at different stages of their lives.

Half of the 13-18 year-old respondents (50%) said they pay for a premium AI service – a sign of the value teens place on the technology –while 58% said they know when to use AI and when to test themselves without it.

Almost two-thirds (63%) said the rise of AI had made them question things they see online more often, while 56% believe they are good at spotting AI use in pictures, social media or writing.

The findings come as artificial intelligence increasingly affects not only education but the world of employment young people will enter after leaving it, from searching and applying for jobs to the way employers screen candidates and assess skills.

The survey, conducted by independent insights agency Opinion Matters, found AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Snapchat AI and Copilot are now a routine part of teenage life. Half (50.5%) use AI at least once a day, including 9% who use it three or more times daily. More than nine-in-10 (92%) use it at least two or three times a week, while just 1% said they never use it.

Respondents said they use the technology for a wide range of purposes, with almost a third (32%) using AI to find information or answer everyday questions, while 29% use it for homework or schoolwork, and 28% to explain things they do not understand. Around a quarter use it to revise for exams (26%) and to generate creative ideas such as art, music or stories (24%). Others use AI for entertainment (22%), help writing emails or messages (21%) and coding or computer programming (20%).

The research also asked teenagers which careers they considered to be ‘AI-proof’ – defined in the survey as jobs they believe will always need people even as AI becomes more common – with practical and people-focused professions dominating answers.

Plumber topped the list (31%), followed by electrician (30%), hairdresser or barber (30%), nurse (29%), mechanic (27%) and social worker (27%). Chef (26%), engineer (26%), joiner (23%) and teacher (23%) also featured prominently. Just 1.7% said they believed no career was AI-proof.

The findings also reveal a generation balancing optimism about the opportunities presented by AI with an awareness of the potential challenges.

More than half (54%) believe AI represents an opportunity for their career prospects and 55% said they know it will affect their future but are not worried about it. At the same time, 56% are worried about its impact on their career prospects and the same proportion believe it could make finding a job harder. 

Around 5-in-10 respondents (53%) said they believe colleges provide the best route to ‘AI-proof’ careers. 

Robin Ashton, Vice Principal of Curriculum and Quality Enhancement at Glasgow Kelvin College, said the findings show young people are already thinking seriously about what AI means for their education, skills and careers.

He said: “What stands out from these findings is just how switched on young people are to AI and the impact it is likely to have on their future. They aren't simply using the technology, many are already thinking about where it can help them, where they need to rely on their own abilities and, importantly, which human skills are likely to become more valuable as AI develops.

“There is sometimes a tendency to talk about young people as though AI is something happening to them, but these findings paint a more nuanced picture. This is a generation growing up with technology and learning how to navigate it.

“That doesn't mean there aren't challenges young people themselves recognise the risks of becoming over-reliant on AI and are concerned about what it could mean for employment – but they are also questioning what they see online, thinking about when AI is useful and considering how their own skills will need to evolve.

“That is where colleges have an increasingly important role to play. Glasgow Kelvin College gives people the opportunity to develop the practical, technical and interpersonal skills employers need, while also learning how emerging technologies can complement those skills.

“National Opportunity Day is about encouraging people to look at the opportunities available to them and think differently about where their talents could take them. As the world of work changes, having the confidence and skills to adapt will become more important than ever.”

National Opportunity Day was created by Glasgow Kelvin College to shine a light on the breadth of education, training and career opportunities available and encourage people to consider routes they may not previously have thought possible.