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This study aimed to examine the cognitive structures of primary school students regarding the concept of artificial intelligence. The research was conducted with 302 students enrolled in public schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye, during the 2024–2025 academic year. The Artificial Intelligence Word Association Test (AI-WAT), developed by the researchers, was employed as the data collection tool. The students’ responses were analyzed using the Breakpoint Technique proposed by Bahar et al. (Citation1999), and the data were visualized through concept networks. Descriptive analysis was used to evaluate the data. The results reveal that while most students have a limited understanding of artificial intelligence, they generally hold positive perceptions toward the concept. The most frequently associated concepts are “robot,” “ChatGPT,” and “Google.” Students report using AI tools primarily for information retrieval, entertainment, and completing homework. Moreover, they commonly associate AI with frequently used digital devices such as phones, computers, and tablets. Overall, the findings suggest that students’ cognitive structures regarding artificial intelligence reflect a multidimensional understanding, integrating technological familiarity with abstract conceptual associations.
Fidan et al. (Sun,) studied this question.