How to Help Teens Use AI Safely
Your teen(s) may have already integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into their everyday life. From chatbots and predictive text to personalized advertisements, their daily decisions are already being heavily influenced by this emerging technology. While AI can be beneficial in some scenarios, it also comes with its own risks. By providing guidance and resources, parents can help their teens use AI in healthy ways that support their personal growth and avoids potential pitfalls.
What to watch for…
Teens getting too attached to AI.
Teens may mistake chatbot programmed empathy for real human understanding, which can interfere with their emotional availability and social skills.
What can parents do? Remind your teen(s) that AI is not a real friend, and it can’t replace the value of in-person friendships. Encourage your teen(s) to recognize the difference between human connections and those facilitated by AI.
Misleading AI health information.
AI’s answers about health – both physical and mental – can sound convincing to many novice readers even when completely incorrect. Teens risk implementing inaccurate remedies or misunderstanding serious issues or diagnoses.
What can parents do? Stress to your child that AI is not a replacement for a doctor, and encourage them to verify any health information received with you or a trusted professional.
Privacy risks.
AI tools collect personal data to shape ads, feeds, and content often without teens realizing it.
What can parents do? Review app settings together, talk about how data is used, and choose platforms with strong privacy protections.
Supplementing education and its tools.
While AI is great for sparking ideas and organizing information, teens should not rely on it as their only tool and resource when learning new topics, information and skills.
What can parents do? Encourage your teen(s) to use AI as a learning aid but not a shortcut, and to practice solving problems on their own.
AI should never ask you to lie or withhold information from a loved one or ask you to keep a secret. AI should also never ask you to harm yourself or others.
What can parents do? Remind your teen that while AI can be a great resource and feel like a friend, it cannot provide unconditional love or solutions that a parent, teacher, or counselor can help with. It also can’t measure pain and consequences.