Artificial intelligence technologies have become an increasingly prominent focus in educational research due to their potential to support cognitive processes, personalize learning experiences, and transform educational environments. In this context, identifying students’ levels of awareness and usage tendencies toward artificial intelligence is essential for the effective and pedagogically grounded integration of these technologies into educational practices. The purpose of this study is to examine middle school students’ levels of artificial intelligence awareness and usage tendencies and to determine whether these levels differ according to variables such as gender, daily technology usage duration, and prior exposure to the concept of artificial intelligence. The study was conducted using a quantitative research approach within the descriptive survey model. The study group consisted of 50 students enrolled in a public middle school. Data were collected using the “Artificial Intelligence Awareness and Usage Tendencies Scale for Middle School Students,” which comprises four sub-dimensions: basic AI knowledge, areas of use, anxiety, and difficulty. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed in the data analysis. The findings revealed that students’ overall artificial intelligence awareness and usage tendencies were above a moderate level. Higher mean scores were observed in the basic knowledge and areas of use sub-dimensions, whereas relatively lower levels were identified in the anxiety and difficulty sub-dimensions. Moreover, the results indicated that students’ artificial intelligence awareness and usage tendencies did not differ significantly according to the examined variables. These findings suggest that artificial intelligence awareness is shaped not only by technological access and usage frequency but also by pedagogical guidance and structured learning experiences.