Some Japanese Parents Turn to AI for Childcare Support

Japan Data

Family
Economy
Society

Jun 26, 2025

A survey in Japan found that some parents are asking AI about childcare, especially related to parenting problems.

Turning to AI for Guidance?

The parenting support website Baby Calendar conducted a survey in late May on parenting and the use of AI. The survey targeted 564 men and women with children under the age of 18.

Among those 564 respondents, 251 or 25.5% said that they “frequently use” AI or AI-related apps, while another 41.0% said they “sometimes use” them.

The most common use was for “consulting about parenting problems,” mentioned by 42.7% of the respondents. In particular, parents made use of AI when faced with issues that are difficult to discuss with others, such as discipline, child development, or handling the difficult toddler years. These are the sorts of problems that can be tough for a household to resolve on its own.

Another popular use, mentioned by 37.6%, involved “keeping records on childcare and managing daily routines.” Specific examples included using AI to predict when a child is likely to become cranky based on previous situations. In addition, 33.5% used AI for “consulting about a child’s health,” such as asking for advice on what to do when a child has a fever. These examples show that people often turn to AI when it comes to daily decisions.

The top benefit of using AI as a parent, mentioned by 49.5% of the respondents, is the ability to obtain information quickly, but the survey also revealed that making use of AI can reduce stress. This was reflected in benefits chosen by respondents like not having to do everything alone, being able to rely on it at night or in spare moments, and being able to ask things that they couldn’t ask other people about. Some commented on how AI provided emotional support, such as a respondent who said: “AI encouraged me at times when I was feeling down.”

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)

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