Is it time to have “the AI talk” with your kids?
Issue #90
It’s almost impossible to make it through the day without seeing some headline somewhere about artificial intelligence. Ever since OpenAI unleashed ChatGPT onto the public in November 2022, it seems like everyone is talking about this technology. We’re all regularly reminded that we live in a world where machines can learn, adapt and seemingly mimic human intelligence. It's not just science fiction anymore, it's our reality.
Broadly speaking, artificial intelligence refers to machines that can learn, reason, problem-solve, perceive, understand natural language—and even interact with the environment. AI systems are designed to reproduce the cognitive functions of the human mind, and while there are lots of different types of AI, it’s generative AI that’s made the biggest splash lately. Systems like DALL-E and ChatGPT are examples. Users feed them prompts and they can generate new content—art and writing that looks and sounds human. Audio and video that’s incredibly convincing.
These AI platforms are “trained” on existing content—writing and images that already exist. They look for patterns and generate new text based on what they’ve learned already. Excuse the pun, but this kind of AI has generated excitement and anxiety in equal measures. The companies behind the platforms promise that they’ll revolutionize every aspect of our lives—from work to healthcare to finance to entertainment to education. The list goes on. Suddenly, AI-powered tools and features are showing up in email providers, word processors, social apps—and even toilets.
But even as AI makes inroads into our daily lives, critics are nervous about the new technology. It can be unreliable and unpredictable. It can behave erratically and even try and break up marriages. Some people are even worried that it has the power to unravel democracy itself.
So yeah, there’s a lot of spin out there. With all the headlines about new features and hypothetical scenarios, it can be tough to cut through the noise. That’s why I’d like to spend some time unpacking artificial intelligence because this new technology brings brand new challenges to parenting. We’re exploring a new digital frontier, which means we have to have some new conversations with our kids. So, let’s talk a bit about what AI can do—and what points you might want to cover with your kids.
Talk to kids about how they should and shouldn’t be using AI
This kind of technology is capable of some pretty incredible feats. It can draft emails, proposals, book reports, wedding vows—basically anything that you need written, it can write. Schools and universities were quick to sound alarm bells and even institute outright bans. They worried that students would feed their homework to ChatGPT and turn in A+ papers and assignments without learning a single thing. And of course, some students did just that. But as I’ve argued before, banning technology—whether it’s social media or generative AI—is futile. It’s akin to burying your head in the sand.
Once the AI genie is out of the bottle, we can’t stuff it back in. As parents, we need to do our best to make sure our kids understand these platforms: how they work and what their limitations are. Generative AI is a tool, much like a computer or a calculator. We need to help our kids understand the difference between using this tool to enhance their education—and using it to cheat.
Help kids think critically about what they see online
Of course, AI platforms aren’t just good at writing book reports. Advances in technology have made it shockingly easy to generate fake images, audio and video. We’ve seen bizarre deepfake examples like the pope wearing a puffer coat, and alarming ones like fake war images from Gaza. And we’ve seen disgusting examples like fake nudes—of celebrities already in the public eye, and private citizens like high school students.
It’s as upsetting as it is predictable. When the technology exists to put fake images and videos out into the world, bad actors will use it. This fact adds a new level of urgency to media literacy. It’s all the more important that we teach our kids to think critically. Talk to them about the content they see, and help them ask questions about who is creating it and why.
Talk about what it means for their future
I don’t buy the hype that AI will replace a lot of jobs—but I do believe that it will change the way a lot of us work. According to researchers at LinkedIn, AI could replace more than skills in the labor market, and the ones most at risk are technical skills like writing, editing, financial planning, data analysis and software engineering. This could mean a shakeup in the things that make people the most employable.
Today, software engineers are some of the most in-demand people in the workforce, but the report from LinkedIn suggests that could change. So-called “soft skills,” like teamwork, leadership, relationship building and creativity will become increasingly important. And regardless of the labor market, soft skills like emotional intelligence are useful in life, both online and offline.
Ultimately, the conversations we have with kids about AI are a lot like the usual conversations we have about the internet. Whether we’re talking to them about digital media, social media or artificial intelligence, it’s important to spend some time learning about these platforms yourself. When you understand how they work, you’re better equipped to guide your kids. And, it’s important to listen as well. Stay curious about what your kids are doing online and ask questions. When you have an open dialogue, you and your kids are both better prepared to navigate whatever technology throws at you.
A deeper dive
Here are a few helpful resources in case you want to really dig into today's topic:
When it comes to AI, no one can say what the future will bring. But we know one thing for sure: Big Tech platforms don’t have a great track record for self-policing. That’s why I’m not holding my breath after learning that Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Meta, TikTok and Adobe have agreed to limit deepfakes ahead of the 2024 election. What exactly have they committed to? They’ll “try to identify and label fake AI content on their sites.” Given the election's stakes, it would be nice if they did more than try.
Speaking of the stakes of AI-generated deepfake content, the US deputy attorney general told the BBC could “supercharge disinformation and incite violence at elections.” And the people exploiting this technology aren’t likely to label their content as AI-generated. They’re intentionally creating an image or video to mislead people. Expecting platforms or creators to volunteer to add labels to the content is misguided at best.
TL;DR
Too long; didn't read. It shouldn't be a full-time job to keep up on industry news, so here is a mercifully quick summary of some other notable developments:
In an effort to keep kids safer online, some states have tried to pass laws to keep them off of social media platforms entirely. Many critics, myself included think this is a flawed strategy, and recently, the Federal Trade Commission’s Alvaro Bedoya went on the record saying that he doesn’t support this strategy either. “Meet a teenager, they will find a way to get around that,” he said. “I can say clearly I do not support that.”
One of the ways social media platforms put kids at risk is by showing them content that encourages eating disorders. Recently, the hashtag “legging legs” was circulating on TikTok. This content celebrated slim bodies, which are allegedly the most desirable for leggings. According to Amanda Raffoul, an instructor at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital who studies eating disorders, “the minute they ban one hashtag, another one will pop up.” It’s a bit like a terrible game of whack-a-mole, and unfortunately, it’s kids who are losing.
And lastly
Here are a few more pieces of original writing from me and my team—just in case you're keen for more:
There’s a new AI-powered search engine called Perplexity, and it’s poised to give Google a run for its money. Here’s what parents need to know.
If you’re not yet ready to give your kids access to the entire world wide web, you might want to consider a device like the Gabb phone. My team wrote a parent’s guide with everything you need to know.