Jules White, a computer science professor at Vanderbilt University, once believed his 11-year-old son, James, needed to learn coding to succeed. But now he believes there’s a more important skill James needs to learn: how to effectively prompt an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.

Since OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022, White has been teaching his son how to use generative AI. He first showed James how ChatGPT could generate games based on images of household toys. He then pointed out the AI’s flaws by having his son test ChatGPT’s world records against real data from the Guinness Book of World Records. After more than two years of experimentation, James—now in fifth grade—has learned how to incorporate AI into everyday activities, from creating learning materials to estimating the price of a pair of shoes without a price tag.

“My goal is not to turn my child into an AI expert, but to give him the foundation to use AI creatively, constructively, explore multiple perspectives, and enhance his learning,” White shared.

White is one of a growing number of parents who are teaching their children how to use AI chatbots to help prepare them for a future where these tools can become personal assistants to support their studies, work, and daily lives.

Parents teaching their children how to use AI: concerns and opportunities

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Illustration photo. Photo source: VLAB

Many parents are concerned about how generative AI will impact their children’s personal development. According to a 2023 Ipsos survey, nearly a third of parents believe that AI tools like ChatGPT should be banned in schools to prevent cheating, as students increasingly rely on chatbots to complete their homework. While there is little research on the impact of AI on children’s critical thinking skills, Unicef ​​and pediatric health organizations are questioning how relying on chatbots in learning may impact cognitive development.

The rapid development of AI can also make it difficult for less tech-savvy parents to monitor their children. According to a 2023 National Parents Union survey, only 16% of parents of children in kindergarten through 12th grade truly understand the capabilities of AI.

Although OpenAI and Google stipulate that users of AI must be 13 or older, some parents are introducing AI to their children with careful supervision, hoping to help them see AI as an imperfect tool that can extend human capabilities rather than diminish them.

In addition, many parents believe that exposing children to AI early can enhance creativity, train critical thinking, and improve communication skills.

Ola Handford, an AI consultant, introduced ChatGPT to her kids in early 2023, when they were 9 and 12, through “Fun Friday Nights.” Some sessions were free-form exploration, while others were structured, like rewriting the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off from the perspective of a squirrel. Her kids now use the AI ​​to search for information, recipes, debate, and plan trips.

Handford exposes her children to tools like Character.ai and explains that the characters are computer-generated, not real people. She stresses that getting too attached to an AI companion can have serious consequences.

White also emphasizes the responsible use of AI. He designed activities to show his son that AI can open up creative opportunities, like creating games that aid learning, rather than just being a search engine or a way to avoid writing an essay. Without proper guidance, kids can use AI to cheat in school, leading to “intellectual laziness.”

“If your goal is just to copy answers from ChatGPT, you’re not really contributing anything to society,” said White, who wants his son to see AI as a tool to reshape the future of work, where AI skills are increasingly in demand.

In addition to a competitive edge in the job market, some parents see AI as a tool to help them improve understanding and trust within the family.

Kunal Dalal, an AI administrator at the Orange County Department of Education, uses AI every day with his 4-year-old son as a way to bond. They use ChatGPT to compose music and create personalized images using tools like DALL-E, including illustrations of Dalal’s childhood in Bombay, India. But what Dalal finds most helpful is using AI to facilitate difficult conversations with his son.

“It doesn’t matter what ChatGPT says,” Dalal shared. “What matters is that it creates a bridge between me and my son.”

Balancing AI and Parental Responsibility

Harvard professor Ying Xu warns that if children see AI as the ultimate source of knowledge, they may turn to AI instead of their parents for advice. Xu argues that introducing AI to children requires a controlled and intentional environment.

Parents emphasized the importance of supervision. White and Dalal only allow their children to use ChatGPT with permission, while Hanford keeps AI out of their child’s personal time or social media. Dalal even limits the number of times his child can ask ChatGPT questions to reduce the environmental impact.

Looking ahead, White and other parents are looking forward to increasing the sophistication of their children’s use of AI. “I’m excited about Agentic AI,” he says. “That’s the next step.”

(According to The Guardian)