SafetyEthicsTransparencycs.CY
AI Literacy, Safety Awareness, and STEM Career Aspirations of Australian Secondary Students: Evaluating the Impact of Workshop Interventions
Christian Bergh, Alexandra Vassar, Natasha Banks, Jessica Xu, Jake Renzella
January 30, 2026
arXiv.org
1 citations
Key Takeaways
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Deepfakes are already widespread among Australian teens: 82.4% of secondary students surveyed had seen deepfakes, with 18.5% reporting they had shared them and 7.3% reporting they had created them, highlighting urgent need for safety education on synthetic media.
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Short workshops can improve AI recognition but may have limited lasting impact: While students showed increased confidence identifying AI in everyday platforms like Netflix, Spotify, and TikTok after attending a workshop, the effect on long-term STEM career interest was small, suggesting one-off interventions need to be reinforced with sustained programs.
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Students often don't recognize AI systems they use daily: Before the intervention, many students viewed popular platforms as merely "algorithm-based" rather than AI-driven, indicating a significant gap in foundational AI literacy that education programs can address.
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AI literacy programs should explicitly address synthetic media safety: The study supports pairing basic AI concepts with specific training on deepfakes and synthetic media risks, rather than treating AI education and safety awareness as separate topics.
Abstract
Deepfakes and other forms of synthetic media pose growing safety risks for adolescents, yet evidence on students' exposure and related behaviours remains limited. This study evaluates the impact of Day of AI Australia's workshop-based intervention designed to improve AI literacy and conceptual understanding among Australian secondary students (Years 7-10). Using a mixed-methods approach with pre- and post-intervention surveys (N=205 pre; N=163 post), we analyse changes in students' ability to identify AI in everyday tools, their understanding of AI ethics, training, and safety, and their interest in STEM-related careers. Baseline data revealed notable synthetic media risks: 82.4% of students reported having seen deepfakes, 18.5% reported sharing them, and 7.3% reported creating them. Results show higher self-reported AI knowledge and confidence after the intervention, alongside improved recognition of AI in widely used platforms such as Netflix, Spotify, and TikTok. This pattern suggests a shift from seeing these tools as merely "algorithm-based" to recognising them as AI-driven systems. Students also reported increased interest in STEM careers post-workshop; however, effect sizes were small, indicating that sustained approaches beyond one-off workshops may be needed to influence longer-term aspirations. Overall, the findings support scalable AI literacy programs that pair foundational AI concepts with an explicit emphasis on synthetic media safety.