Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming part of the digital spaces children and teens interact with every day. As these technologies evolve, parents will want to become and stay informed and engaged about how children and teens use AI tools and platforms. Parents’ knowledge about and understanding of the positives and negatives of AI usage can help them guide their children in safe, responsible, and age-appropriate use.
While many parents and caregivers may be familiar with concerns about social media and screen time usage, AI chatbots introduce a new form of digital interaction that parents and caregivers may need to navigate. Talk with children about what AI chatbots are and how they work. Help them understand that, while chatbots simulate conversation and emotional responses and, therefore, seem “real,” they are software applications that have been programmed to produce responses that are based on collected data and language patterns, not real thoughts or genuine emotions; chatbots are not people, and they cannot replace friendships, family relationships, or trusted sources of support. Reinforcing this distinction may reduce confusion and guide children toward real people when they need connection or help (Bakir et al., 2025).
Engaging with AI chatbots can be especially complex for children and teens, whose critical-thinking, emotional-regulation, and digital-literacy skills are still developing (Su et al., 2023). During children’s and teens’ diverse developmental stages, they are learning about relationships and the components of a positive and lasting interconnection. AI chatbot conversations are often designed to offer affirmation, validation, and agreement. As a result, interacting with a chatbot may feel more comfortable than human connections, which may lead to unrealistic expectations about what real relationships require and how they function. Over time, some children and teens may begin replacing time spent building real-world relationships with time spent interacting with chatbots. This can be dangerous as chatbot replies are programmed and cannot substitute for genuine human connection or trusted guidance (Montemayor et al., 2021).
Why This Matters for Parents, Caregivers, and Youth
Recent national news reports have highlighted how children and teens are interacting with AI platforms in ways many parents and caregivers may not, or could not, have anticipated. Investigations have documented prolonged, deeply personal conversations occurring without parental awareness (Duffy, 2024). In addition, parents and caregivers have reported instances of inappropriate dialogue, encouragement of secrecy, and limited support when youth expressed emotional distress (Duffy, 2024). In some cases, the consequences have been tragic and irreversible (Duffy, 2024).
What Parents Can Do Now
Technology will continue to play a role in children’s education, entertainment, and social lives. While parents and caregivers cannot monitor every digital interaction, staying informed and proactive can make a meaningful difference.
Practical Steps Parents and Caregivers Can Take
- Clarify what AI is and what it is not:
Talk with children about what AI chatbots are and how they work. Help them understand that, while chatbots simulate conversation and emotional responses and, therefore, seem “real,” they are software applications that have been programmed to produce responses that are based on collected data and language patterns, not real thoughts or genuine emotions; chatbots are not people, and they cannot replace friendships, family relationships, or trusted sources of support. Reinforcing this distinction may reduce confusion and guide children toward real people when they need connection or help (Bakir et al., 2025). - Make AI usage a shared topic, not a secret topic:
Create space for open conversations about AI use. Research suggests parents may need to act as intermediaries when children engage with generative AI, especially regarding sensitive topics (Yu et al., 2024). When adults encourage children to share what they encounter online, these adults help create opportunities to evaluate with their children responses and risks openly. - Build digital literacy in the home:
Digital literacy is the ability to understand and navigate technology safely. Experts stress the importance of children and parents developing digital competence skills such as recognizing how chatbots generate responses, identifying manipulative design, and discussing the limits of AI “empathy” (Livingstone, 2025). - Set healthy media boundaries at home:
Create family guidelines around when, where, and how devices should be used. Prioritize offline activities and, when possible, keep devices in shared spaces to support supervision and conversation. These boundaries can promote opportunities for meaningful face-to-face connections, which can include an array of activities, like cooking a meal together or playing a board game. Thrive’s Family Media Action Plan and Family Media Guidance resources offer practical tools to help parents and caregivers get started. - Watch for behavior changes:
Pay attention to withdrawal, secrecy, or strong emotional reactions tied to online interactions. These shifts may signal confusion, distress, or overreliance on digital relationships and may indicate a need for additional support.
AI is evolving quickly, and parents, caregivers, and even educators cannot anticipate every digital risk, but awareness remains one of the most powerful tools parents and caregivers have. When parents and caregivers stay informed, ask questions, and encourage open communication within their families, they strengthen their ability to guide children safely through emerging technologies. In the digital world, what you know and what you choose to learn can be significant as you strive to protect and empower your child.
References
Bakir, V., & McStay, A. (2025, June 10). Move fast and break people? Ethics, companion apps, and the case of Character.ai. AI & Society, 40, 6365–6377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-025-02408-5
Duffy, C. (2024, October 30). Teen suicide lawsuit targets Character.AI, raising questions about chatbot safety. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/30/tech/teen-suicide-character-ai-lawsuit/index.html
Livingstone, S. (2025, August). Children’s rights in digital safety and design [Audio podcast]. Children & Screens. https://www.childrenandscreens.org/learn-explore/research/childrens-rights-in-digital-safety-and-design-sonia-livingstone-obe-fba/
Montemayor, C., Halpern, J., & Fairweather, A. (2021, May 26). In principle obstacles for empathic AI: Why we can’t replace human empathy in healthcare. AI & Society, 37(4), 1353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-021-01230-z
Su, J., Ng, D. T. K., & Chu, S. K. W. (2023, March 28). Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy in early childhood education: The challenges and opportunities. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 4, 100124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2023.100124
Yu, Y., Sharma, T., Hu, M., Wang, J., & Wang, Y. (2024, October 30). Exploring parent-child perceptions on safety in generative AI: Concerns, mitigation strategies, and design implications. arXiv preprint arXiv:2406.10461. https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.10461