Parents Grapple with AI's Impact on Children's Future
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Anxious parents face tough choices on AI
When it comes to AI, many parents navigate between fear of the unknown and fear of their children missing out. "It's really hard to predict anything over five years," said Adam Tal, an Israeli marketing executive and father of two boys aged seven and nine, when describing the post-generative AI world. Tal is "very worried" about the future this technology holds for his children -- whether it's deepfakes, "the inability to distinguish between reality and AI," or "the thousands of possible new threats that I wasn't trained to detect." Mike Brooks, a psychologist from Austin, Texas, who specializes in parenting and technology, worries that parents are keeping their heads in the sand, refusing to grapple with AI. "They're already overwhelmed with parenting demands," he observed -- from online pornography and TikTok to video games and "just trying to get them out of their rooms and into the real world." For Marc Watkins, a professor at the University of Mississippi who focuses on AI in teaching, "we've already gone too far" to shield children from AI past a certain age. Yet some parents are still trying to remain gatekeepers to the technology. "In my circle of friends and family, I'm the only one exploring AI with my child," remarked Melissa Franklin, mother of a 7-year-old boy and law student in Kentucky. "I don't understand the technology behind AI," she said, "but I know it's inevitable, and I'd rather give my son a head start than leave him overwhelmed." 'Benefits and risks' The path is all the more difficult for parents given the lack of scientific research on AI's effects on users. Several parents cite a study published in June by MIT, showing that brain activity and memory were more stimulated in individuals not using generative AI than in those who had access to it. "I'm afraid it will become a shortcut," explained a father of three who preferred to remain anonymous. "After this MIT study, I want them to use it only to deepen their knowledge." This caution shapes many parents' approaches. Tal prefers to wait before letting his sons use AI tools. Melissa Franklin only allows her son to use AI with her supervision to find information "we can't find in a book, through Google, or on YouTube." For her, children must be encouraged to "think for themselves," with or without AI. But one father -- a computer engineer with a 15-year-old -- doesn't believe kids will learn AI skills from their parents anyway. "That would be like claiming that kids learn how to use TikTok from their parents," he said. It's usually "the other way around." Watkins, himself a father, says he is "very concerned" about the new forms that generative AI is taking, but considers it necessary to read about the subject and "have in-depth conversations about it with our children." "They're going to use artificial intelligence," he said, "so I want them to know the potential benefits and risks." The CEO of AI chip giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang, often speaks of AI as "the greatest equalizing force that we have ever known," democratizing learning and knowledge. But Watkins fears a different reality: "Parents will view this as a technology that will be used if you can afford it, to get your kid ahead of everyone else." The computer scientist father readily acknowledged this disparity, saying "My son has an advantage because he has two parents with Ph.D.s in computer science, but that's 90% due to the fact that we are more affluent than average" -- not their AI knowledge. "That does have some pretty big implications," Watkins said.
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Anxious parents face tough choices on AI
New York (AFP) - When it comes to AI, many parents navigate between fear of the unknown and fear of their children missing out. "It's really hard to predict anything over five years," said Adam Tal, an Israeli marketing executive and father of two boys aged seven and nine, when describing the post-generative AI world. Tal is "very worried" about the future this technology holds for his children -- whether it's deepfakes, "the inability to distinguish between reality and AI," or "the thousands of possible new threats that I wasn't trained to detect." Mike Brooks, a psychologist from Austin, Texas, who specializes in parenting and technology, worries that parents are keeping their heads in the sand, refusing to grapple with AI. "They're already overwhelmed with parenting demands," he observed -- from online pornography and TikTok to video games and "just trying to get them out of their rooms and into the real world." For Marc Watkins, a professor at the University of Mississippi who focuses on AI in teaching, "we've already gone too far" to shield children from AI past a certain age. Yet some parents are still trying to remain gatekeepers to the technology. "In my circle of friends and family, I'm the only one exploring AI with my child," remarked Melissa Franklin, mother of a 7-year-old boy and law student in Kentucky. "I don't understand the technology behind AI," she said, "but I know it's inevitable, and I'd rather give my son a head start than leave him overwhelmed." 'Benefits and risks' The path is all the more difficult for parents given the lack of scientific research on AI's effects on users. Several parents cite a study published in June by MIT, showing that brain activity and memory were more stimulated in individuals not using generative AI than in those who had access to it. "I'm afraid it will become a shortcut," explained a father of three who preferred to remain anonymous. "After this MIT study, I want them to use it only to deepen their knowledge." This caution shapes many parents' approaches. Tal prefers to wait before letting his sons use AI tools. Melissa Franklin only allows her son to use AI with her supervision to find information "we can't find in a book, through Google, or on YouTube." For her, children must be encouraged to "think for themselves," with or without AI. But one father -- a computer engineer with a 15-year-old -- doesn't believe kids will learn AI skills from their parents anyway. "That would be like claiming that kids learn how to use TikTok from their parents," he said. It's usually "the other way around." Watkins, himself a father, says he is "very concerned" about the new forms that generative AI is taking, but considers it necessary to read about the subject and "have in-depth conversations about it with our children." "They're going to use artificial intelligence," he said, "so I want them to know the potential benefits and risks." The CEO of AI chip giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang, often speaks of AI as "the greatest equalization force that we have ever known," democratizing learning and knowledge. But Watkins fears a different reality: "Parents will view this as a technology that will be used if you can afford it, to get your kid ahead of everyone else." The computer scientist father readily acknowledged this disparity, saying "My son has an advantage because he has two parents with PhDs in computer science, but that's 90 percent due to the fact that we are more affluent than average" -- not their AI knowledge. "That does have some pretty big implications," Watkins said.
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As AI technology advances, parents face difficult decisions about how to introduce and manage their children's exposure to AI, balancing concerns about potential risks with fears of their children falling behind.
Parental Concerns in the Age of AI
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance rapidly, parents find themselves caught between fear of the unknown and concern that their children might miss out on crucial technological skills. Adam Tal, an Israeli marketing executive and father of two, expresses his worry about the unpredictable future that AI holds for his children, citing issues such as deepfakes and the difficulty in distinguishing between reality and AI-generated content
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.Parental Approaches to AI
Source: Phys.org
Parents are adopting various strategies to manage their children's exposure to AI. Some, like Melissa Franklin, a law student and mother from Kentucky, are proactively exploring AI with their children under supervision. Franklin allows her 7-year-old son to use AI only when looking for information that can't be found through traditional means like books or Google
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.On the other hand, some parents prefer a more cautious approach. Adam Tal, for instance, chooses to wait before introducing his sons to AI tools. This caution is partly fueled by recent research, such as a study published by MIT in June, which showed that brain activity and memory were more stimulated in individuals not using generative AI compared to those who had access to it
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.Expert Perspectives on AI and Parenting
Mike Brooks, a psychologist specializing in parenting and technology, expresses concern that many parents are avoiding the issue of AI altogether. He notes that parents are already overwhelmed with existing parenting challenges, from managing children's exposure to online content to encouraging real-world interactions
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.Marc Watkins, a professor focusing on AI in teaching at the University of Mississippi, believes that it's too late to completely shield children from AI past a certain age. He advocates for educating children about both the potential benefits and risks of AI technology
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.Related Stories
The Digital Divide and AI
While some view AI as a great equalizer in education, experts like Watkins fear it may exacerbate existing socioeconomic disparities. He warns that affluent parents might use AI as a tool to give their children an advantage over others
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.This concern is echoed by a computer scientist father who acknowledges that his son has an advantage due to his parents' expertise and affluence, rather than their specific AI knowledge. This highlights the potential for AI to widen the gap between socioeconomic groups in terms of educational opportunities
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.The Future of AI in Education
Jensen Huang, CEO of AI chip giant Nvidia, often describes AI as "the greatest equalizing force that we have ever known," with the potential to democratize learning and knowledge
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. However, the reality may be more complex, as access to and understanding of AI technologies could become a new factor in educational inequality.As AI continues to evolve, parents and educators face the challenge of preparing children for a future where AI is ubiquitous while also teaching them to think critically and independently. The balance between embracing AI's potential and mitigating its risks remains a key concern for parents navigating this new technological landscape.
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