AI Becoming a ‘Substitute Parent’ 1 in 4 Children Now Speak Less to Parents Because of AI: Report

vivo India has released the seventh edition of its annual Switch Off Report , offering fresh insights into how excessive use of a vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India is shaping parent child relationships in today’s fast-paced digital world. The new findings, now widely discussed in tech news, focus on how families can mindfully balance screen time and real-life connections while using a smartphone in India.

How Families Are Adapting to Digital Behaviour

As digital habits continue shifting rapidly with every new vivo smartphone launch in India, the study explored how families are adjusting to changing online behaviour. According to vivo India, the report brings out two key insights now trending across tech news: families see dinner time as their strongest moment of connection, and a growing number of children are turning to AI because they feel their parents are too busy or distracted by a smartphone in India.

Dinner Time Remains the Most Trusted Bonding Moment

The study reveals that 72 percent of children feel they spend the most quality time with parents during dinner, especially when the vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India is kept aside. With 91 percent of children saying conversations flow more easily without devices, vivo India notes in the report that families are increasingly willing to rebuild these real-life moments. This trend is widely picked up in tech news as more families reduce notifications, keep phones away from shared spaces and choose offline activities to strengthen presence while using a smartphone in India.

Why More Children Are Turning to AI Tools

A major highlight in the report is the sharp rise of AI usage among children aged 10 to 16. According to vivo India, 54 percent of these young users rely on AI for learning and guidance, often through their vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India. Tech news discussions around this point show that children use AI for homework at 61 percent, personal development at 63 percent and even companionship at 33 percent. However, vivo India states that many children choose AI because they feel their parents are too preoccupied with their own smartphone in India.

Children Feel Parents Are Too Busy or Distracted

The study found that one in four children says they speak less to their parents because AI feels more responsive, especially when parents are busy checking a vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India. This emotional gap is being highlighted widely in tech news, with vivo India encouraging families to create healthier digital boundaries so children do not feel replaced by technology.

vivo India Shares the Purpose Behind the Switch Off Campaign

Geetaj Channana, Head of Corporate Strategy at vivo India, said, “At vivo, we believe technology should strengthen real relationships, not distance people from them. While smartphones bring learning, convenience and connection, using them mindfully is essential for nurturing healthier family interactions. The findings of this year’s Switch Off Study remind us that families are actively seeking balance, choosing to disconnect during key moments and rebuild presence in their everyday lives.” This message is gaining strong attention across tech news, reinforcing why mindful use of a vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India is essential.

How Children and Parents Use Smartphones Differently

The study explains that children mostly turn to their vivo smartphone or similar smartphone in India for entertainment, self-expression and unwinding. They tend to put devices aside when they feel emotionally supported. Parents, however, often engage in micro-checking triggered by work notifications, which sends signals of emotional unavailability. These interruptions, widely discussed in tech news, become especially clear during moments that should be shared. The report by vivo India highlights that smartphone activity during shared time is much higher among parents.

Differences in Digital Behaviour Across Shared Moments

According to vivo India, parents stay active on their vivo smartphone or other smartphone in India during movie time at 70 percent versus children at 31 percent, during family celebrations at 64 percent versus 59 percent and even at the dining table at 53 percent versus 32 percent. These digital habits continue to appear in tech news as families look for better ways to manage smartphone usage in India.

Daily Routines and Demographic Patterns

The study shows that parents use their vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India for an average of 4.4 hours while children average 3.5 hours. Tech news reports highlight differences across demographics too, as mothers average 4.2 hours, fathers 4.4 hours, boys 4.0 hours and girls 3.0 hours. vivo India also notes that phone usage naturally blends into daily routines with morning notifications, afternoon OTT viewing and late-night scrolling becoming habitual parts of using a smartphone in India.

AI Adoption and Digital Confidence

AI usage varies sharply by age and gender. As per vivo India, 83 percent of boys aged 13 to 14 use AI actively compared to 38 percent of girls aged 10 to 12 who use AI more selectively. Tech news reports suggest that this frequent AI reliance reduces curiosity-driven conversations with parents. The report urges families to maintain guided interaction while using a vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India to prevent emotional distance.

The Emotional Impact of Attention and Presence

Children firmly believe that conversations are richer when full attention is given. According to vivo India, 91 percent say they feel more comfortable speaking when the vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India is set aside. Tech news also highlights that no-phone dinners improve comfort for 87 percent of children, while 81 percent of parents feel stronger bonding. Teens find even quick glances at a smartphone in India disruptive, as conversations drop mid-sentence, weakening emotional warmth.

Efforts Families Are Taking to Reconnect

Families are taking small but meaningful steps to rebuild deeper presence. vivo India reports that 54 percent of parents and 49 percent of children limit screen time on their vivo smartphone or other smartphone in India. Many block social media during specific hours, turn off non-essential notifications or even attempt digital detox periods. Tech news outlets note that these efforts help families feel more in control and more connected.

Impact of Digital Boundaries

The study shared by vivo India reveals that 59 percent of parents and 47 percent of children feel more in control after reducing smartphone usage in India. A growing number feel inspired to continue healthier habits, and many even wish they had started earlier. While some experience frustration, most families report better confidence in managing a vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India. Tech news coverage highlights one key insight: children adjust better when people around them also stay offline.

What Families Hope to Build Together

According to vivo India, both parents and children want fewer interruptions, deeper conversations and predictable phone-free zones at home. This aspiration, gaining strong traction across tech news, shows that families want shared routines that bring everyone together without the constant pull of a smartphone in India. They aim to create collaborative boundaries that prioritise warmth and emotional connection.

What the Switch Off Campaign Represents

The Switch Off initiative by vivo India is rooted in a simple idea: disconnect from screens for a moment and reconnect with what truly matters. The company hopes that through mindful use of a vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India, people can strengthen their relationships. This purpose is now widely discussed in tech news as digital wellbeing becomes a growing priority.

About the Study

The vivo Switch Off Study 2025 includes a quantitative and qualitative analysis of smartphone usage in India. The survey by vivo India covered 1517 smartphone owners including 1017 parents and 500 children across eight major cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Pune. Additional qualitative insights were gathered from 18 participants in New Delhi and Mumbai. These findings have become an important contribution to tech news narratives around how families use a vivo smartphone or any smartphone in India in their daily lives.