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When my daughter was younger, I’d tell her bedtime stories that were both fantastical and instructive. Now, as the co-founder of S’moresUp, a family management app, and as someone with two decades of experience building technology products, and as my daughter goes off to college, my stories have shifted to conversations about her future. These days, we talk a lot about artificial intelligence.
AI is here to stay and has quickly become a big part of our daily lives, whether we know it or not. From voice assistants helping us schedule our days to AI-powered recommendations on our favorite apps, the technology is also now becoming part of our daily family lives. What’s more, as tech entrepreneurs, many of us are just beginning to use AI to make our solutions for users — in our case, families — much more powerful and effective.
The more I learn about the new technology, alongside my co-founder, a generative AI technologist with an impressive and knowledgeable background, the more I realize that AI is going to completely change our kids’ lives. This realization also raises some complicated questions for them.
Last month, a deeply sad tragedy involving AI and a teenager made headlines, underscoring just how critical it is for families to understand this entire ecosystem. Even our kids are concerned; a study released this week revealed that 80% of teens are worried about AI’s risks. At the same time, 70% of them are already using it. Yet we are finding out just how out of the loop parents are.
That’s the gap I worry about most as a parent and technologist. On one side, there are infinite and exciting possibilities coming from AI to help our kids learn deeply, explore completely new worlds than we did and create a brand new and possibly better future for everyone. On the other, there’s the risk of misinformation, inappropriate use and dark, dangerous risks. Parents are stuck trying to strike a balance: empowering their kids to use AI responsibly while also protecting them.
At S’moresUp, a family management system with over 300,000 parents, we’re beginning to incorporate AI into our platform to enhance how families manage chores and responsibilities. But even as someone deeply invested in this space, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the pace of change and the ethical questions it raises. If I am having a hard time feeling completely comfortable with this path, I can only imagine how it feels for parents who aren’t in tech.
So, where do we start? I am a technologist, but I am also a mother. I think there are four critical areas parents need to focus on when it comes to helping their kids think about and use this new technology that will be there whether they like it or not.
Related: 3 Ways Parents and Educators Can Guide Children’s Responsible Use of GenAI
1. Teach fact vs. fiction
One of the considerable risks behind AI is the proliferation of deepfakes and misinformation. Teens are bombarded with content daily, and much of it is, no doubt, already AI-generated. It’s critical that they start to learn how to evaluate everything they see and hear critically because there are deep ramifications of a society that does not understand what news is real and which is purposeful and deliberate misinformation.
For my daughter, I started with simple exercises: comparing real news articles with manipulated ones, discussing the visual cues that might indicate a deepfake and exploring tools that can verify the authenticity of the content. Parents can also use this opportunity to sharpen their own skills. The ability to distinguish between fact and fiction is a key skill that everyone should start developing if they want to be ahead in the AI age.
Related: To Raise Exceptional Children, Teach Them These 7 Values
2. AI for good vs. evil
AI is an incredible tool for learning, but only if it’s used appropriately. It can help kids brainstorm essay ideas, deepen their understanding of a subject or explore creative hobbies. However, it can also be a shortcut that leads to cheating, overreliance on technology and the extinguishing of creativity.
In our family, we talked about the ethics of AI early on. I explained to my daughter that using AI to enhance her understanding of a topic was very different from having it write an essay for her. Parents can emphasize that AI is a partner in learning and absolutely not a replacement for effort or creativity.
3. Reinvent their future using AI
As AI continues to evolve, it’s clear it will reshape entire industries. In fact, it already is. Some jobs will disappear, others will change and entirely new ones will emerge. Teens need to start thinking about how AI fits into their future now.
When my daughter was considering career paths, we had open discussions about which fields might be most impacted by AI and which ones might thrive because of it. Parents don’t need to have all the answers, but encouraging curiosity and a willingness to adapt will help their kids see AI as an opportunity and not a threat (mostly!).
4. Study it
Finally, the best way to help our kids navigate AI is to understand it ourselves. Many parents shy away from tech because they feel it’s too complicated or intimidating. But our kids need us to bridge that gap.
I started learning about generative AI alongside my daughter. We explored tools like ChatGPT together, discussing their strengths and limitations. This not only helped me stay informed but also built trust. She felt comfortable coming to me with questions or concerns, knowing I wasn’t judging her curiosity.
As parents, and most of us who are parents in entrepreneurship or tech, we can’t afford to ignore AI. It’s already shaping our industries and the world our kids are growing up in — and nothing can turn back the clock. But with the right guidance, our kids can learn to navigate it responsibly and even use it to build something great for themselves.
