How Do 13–16-Year-Olds Understand AI? A Topic Modeling Study of Swedish Students’ Perceptions

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life and educational systems, understanding how students conceptualize AI is essential for designing responsive and inclusive AI literacy curricula. This study investigates the perceptions of AI among Swedish students aged 13–16, using a qualitative survey instrument comprising background questions and five open-ended questions adapted from previous research on student conceptions of AI. Using a BERT-based topic modelling approach, we analyzed responses from 75 students, identifying nine key themes that reflect how students think about, relate to, and emotionally react to AI technologies. The identified topics, ranging from functional views of AI as a tool or helper, to more anthropomorphic notions like robots and AI being "just like" humans, to expressions of uncertainty and mixed emotions, highlight the diversity and complexity of student perceptions. We compare these findings with previous data collected in Azerbaijan to examine cultural and contextual differences in the way young learners understand AI. This research contributes to the growing body of work on AI literacy by providing evidence-based insights into student conceptions and the sociocultural shaping of AI understanding.