8 Apps I Didn’t Even Know To Ask Teens About
Have you heard about Gauth? What about Paladin? Same. Teens told us about the apps they're using to socialize, explore, and learn — read why they matter and what adults should know.
01
Gauth
Homework helper, homework doer?
02
Unfiltered AI
Bots without bounds
03
Paladin
Human history from an AI teacher
04
Creed
Bringing you closer to…whom?
05
Finch
Care for your “pet,” care for yourself
06
iTextStories
But are the receipts real?
07
Tea
Who gets burned when you spill the wrong tea?
08
DIY AI
Filling the gaps with tailormade tech
Insight 01 of 08
Gauth
Here's a peek at one insight from the memo
You just take a picture of whatever math assignment or science assignment or assignment and it just gives you the answer… Gauth is really helpful.
While adults continue to debate big questions about screens at school, teens are turning to new apps outside of the classroom – like Gauth: an AI-powered app that is marketed as “the Best AI Homework Helper.” I’ve learned that the meaning of the word “helper” varies from student-to-student and case-by-case — some are using it for thoughtful study support, while others are using it to simply outsource their work.
Some apps encourage personal disclosure from teens under the guise of closeness.
Cute animal characters seem like an intentional design decision to make apps more endearing to young people.
Streaks bring young people back to an app — a signal of their commitment themselves, each other, or it.
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This memo was produced by Nearfield. It draws on 53 interviews conducted in Spring, Summer, and Fall 2026 by Dr. Emily Weinstein, alongside collaborators Dr. Jacqueline Vickery and Dr. Angela Calvin. The research builds on insights gathered through Nearfield's incubating partner In Tandem and community youth organizations, with generous support from funders at Pivotal.
"I usually struggle with math. Sometimes if I'm having a problem with a math equation or something, I can just snap a picture and have Gauth explain it to me..."
A 16-year-old explained how they used Gauth to ask for extra math problems to help them practice.
Weinstein, E.. (2026). 8 apps I didn't even know to ask teens about (Nearfield Memo No. 1). Nearfield. www.thenearfield.org/memos/8-apps-i-didnt-even-know-to-ask-teens-about