When I arrived in the US a decade ago, I moved alone to a new country with just three suitcases.

Going from the top of my class in Indonesia to feeling average at an Ivy League school, I struggled with intense imposter syndrome.

Even as someone who worked across multiple countries, I somehow struggled to make friends and lost confidence.

Just like me. Everyone has felt loneliness at some point of their lives.

But not at the rate and age that our teens face today. 1 in 6 teenagers worldwide experience loneliness, with 25% of youth feeling fairly or very lonely. 1 2

And now we’re seeing something unprecedented: teens forming intense emotional bonds with AI companion with tragic consequences.

Social capital is what Harvard Professor and Political Scientist Robert Putnam describes as the invisible bonds of trust and mutual support that hold relationships together.3

Trust is the currency that builds this social capital and it works like superglue.

It’s your child’s support system: who they can call for help, who shares opportunities with them, and who makes them feel included.

It’s the difference between having 2,000 followers on social media versus having someone to call at 2am when they’re struggling.

Never before do we have an urgency for our children and teens to find meaningful and healthy connections with one another.

And, the big tech industry’s solution? AI Companions.

The market grew rapidly, from $26 billion in 2023 to $32 billion in 2024, with millions of young users on platforms like Character.AI, Replika, and Snapchat’s My AI. 4 5

AI Companion Rise As Social Capital Declines

The reality is today’s AI companions can’t build social capital for our kids.

AI companions cannot introduce your child to a real friend they can depend on. It doesn’t create real communities or support systems.

It’s ironic that the tech aiming to solve loneliness may instead deepen social isolation.

Because most AI companions treat the surface symptoms of loneliness and never get to the root cause.

So, users “feel” heard and less lonely in the moment.

But over time, these digital comforts can lead kids to withdraw from social interaction and grow dependency on the companion itself.

To be fair, AI companions have helped some adults, particularly those dealing with social anxiety, therapy waitlists, or acute isolation. Research found 63% of adult student users of Replika reported reduced feelings of loneliness or anxiety.6

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But children are different.

Adults using AI typically already have established social skills and real support systems. Most are supplementing, not replacing, human connection.

For kids still learning to trust, navigate conflict, and build reciprocal relationships, the risk is fundamentally different.

As Stanford psychiatrist Dr. Nina Vasan explains, AI companions offer “frictionless relationships without the rough spots bound to come up in typical friendship. For adolescents still learning how to form healthy relationships, these systems can reinforce distorted views of intimacy.”7

If an AI companion becomes a child’s primary emotional support, it short-circuits the very skills kids need most to build trust, friendship, and social support.

Trust is the Currency of Meaningful Relationships That Our Kids Need to Master

The digital world where many kids grow up today has transformed, if not erode, networks of trust, relational depth, and long-term connections.

This is important because, as confirmed by WHO, social connection (and thus network of trust) is linked to health and longevity, and this crucial link is at risk in our digital societies.8

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Let me paint you a contrast.

Many of us still remember the pre-internet era, where trust was built over time in close and face-to-face interactions with friends, family, and neighbors.

I knew my neighbor, my neighbor’s kid who goes to the same school, the cafeteria workers, and even my parents’ coworkers’ kids.

With social media, our kids can connect with a beauty blogger traveling across the world or a rocket scientist, like Emily Calandrelli, instantly and effortlessly.

But not all connections build trust and support systems.

Today’s social media environment filters and fragments interaction, shifting trust towards transactional, partial views.

There’s a veil between people online where you can’t see what’s behind the screen, making it easier to judge, mock, and hide.

This online anonymity and perceived distance distort social norms, reduce safe spaces for authentic openness, and hinder deep trust development.

Unfortunately, this is what most kids experience online.

So it is understandable why some might open up more to AI companions. They are perceived to be safe, non-judgmental, even if they’re just programmed to reaffirm or agree.

But our kids and teens may not be aware of the costs of relying on AI companions: depriving themselves of relational growth and emotional complexity. As importantly, the ability to build their own social support.

As parents, our job isn’t to shield kids from every uncomfortable social moment—it’s to help them develop the skills to navigate real relationships.

Here’s how trust works like superglue for social capital:

Each kept promise strengthens the bond. Each act of helping creates stickiness. Each time you work through conflict together, the glue becomes stronger.

This is what our kids need to learn and what AI companions can’t teach.

When dealing with AI companions, there’s no effort to strengthen bonds, no promises that matter, no conflicts that make the relationship stronger. Just the illusion of connection.

So, how do we help our kids build this glue in a world that increasingly offers frictionless alternatives?

Four Ways To Strengthen Human to Human Approach

Based on both research and my own journey, here are a few ways we can support our kids’ real connections to fellow humans, even as AI companions spread fast.

1. Model Trust Building and Show Them What Social Capital Looks Like

Because kids learn by example and not telling, we need to model how we create and maintain our support systems.

I want my kids to be able to identify trustworthy people, build trust, and know when to give them. In my home, this looks like:

• Sharing friendship stories at dinner: “Remember when my friend, Aunt W, and her husband, helped us move? That’s what friendship looks like. We need to show up when others need help.”

• Narrating my trust decisions out loud: “My friend and I trained intensely for an international competition for months at a time. We can just confer around 10 minutes before each debate and nailed our debates. We were in such lockstep and trust each other.”

• Acknowledging when my daughter keeps her word: This is her first year of having any homework. So when she completed her homework without any prompting, I commend her.

Here’s a conversation you can have with them:

“Trust is earned and not given. But here’s the thing, someone has to go first. That involves the most basic premise: BE a trustworthy person and know who to spot another. Making friends are the same. We have to be a good friend first and know how find good friends.”

2. Facilitate Low-Stakes IRL Interactions Through Repetition

Our goal should be to encourage them to build resilience, empathy, and social skills through repeated proximity or IRL interactions.

Research shows that physical proximity matters enormously. In fact, simply being seated next to each other increased the probability of mutual friendship from 15% to 22%.9

There are many simple ways to create this repeated IRL interaction.

In practice, I do this with my kids:

• Monthly get together with the same 2-3 classmates.

• Weekly play time in the neighborhood playground. Sometimes with familiar, sometimes new kids.

• One-on-one playdates with certain people

• For older kids, taking an active role in volunteering or sports activity naturally foster social networks.

We need our kids to have both “bonding capital” (deep connections with similar friends) and “bridging capital” (diverse connections across different groups).10

3. Use Tech as Bridges to Real and Trusted People, Not a Replacement

Not all digital connection is bad.

As a parent living halfway across the globe from my own parents, technology enables my kids video call their grandparents weekly. It maintains their bond that would otherwise fade.

Here’s the examples I teach my kids on how tech can be bridge to connect with trusted people:

• Video calling family members or loved ones who live far away;

• Group chats to coordinate real-world hangouts;

• Using apps to plan actual IRL activities together;

If you have an older child or teenager who might have their own device, here’s a conversation starter to evaluate together:

• “Let’s look at your screen time together. Which apps help you connect with people you know in real life? Which ones are just... filling time? What would you want to shift?”

• “Tech should add to your real friendships, not replace them. If you’re spending more time talking to AI or watching strangers online than with friends or family who actually know you, we need to rebalance.”

4. Help Them to Embrace Messy, Imperfect Friendship: Where Trust Is Built

Research shows that when conflict happens among friends, they’re more likely to try to negotiate, compromise, and continue playing compared to non-friends. So, working through conflict actually strengthens social capital.11

Helping kids tolerate the discomfort of real human relationships is one of parent’s most important jobs.

When my daughter wasn’t invited to a birthday party, here’s what we talked about: “I know it stings. Let’s think through possibilities together: Maybe it’s a small or a family-only thing. Maybe she’s closer to other friends right now. And that’s okay. Focus on what you can control: Continue being kind and yourself, and still play with her as usual. Real friendships can survive these moments.”

When daily relationships get messy, try this: “You got mad at your brother because of a misunderstanding. This is uncomfortable, but it’s also fixable. You can talk to him about what happened. Say ‘Hey, I think we misunderstood each other. Can we talk?’ This is how trust grows. Working through hard moments even when it’s uncomfortable.”

The Art of Human Connection in the AI Era

While trust building has transformed since pre-internet days, we should still help our kids understand the foundation of human connection, which often still starts with authenticity and sincerity.

As a humanist who works in tech, I believe modern technologies need to prioritize meaningful human connection over the convenience of transactional connection.

AI chatbots and tools should be designed to encourage users to meaningfully connect with others. Think: group chats that facilitate in person activities, reminders to pause or reach out to a trusted real person, like parents, therapist, or local support networks.

We as parents can still be active guides in our kids’ development in social capital and trust building.

The evidence is clear: the networks of trust and support we help our children build today will shape their health, happiness and resilience for a lifetime.

Let me leave you with a question: What’s the one thing you’ll do differently this month to help your child build real social capital?

- Dhani

Now I want to invite you to look inward, at the conversations we have at home.

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Earlier this month, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman said “A kid born today will never be smarter than AI, ever,” in an interview with Cleo Abram.

As a parent, hearing that stings and I refuse to believe that. Even my first grader commented, “That’s not nice and true, right, Mommy?”

She’s right. That’s why we need to have these conversations now.

So, if we don’t guide our kids to live up to their potential in the AI era, guess what, someone else will.

There are plenty of AI-education content or “hacks” via TikTok or Youtube. Our teens use these social platforms in overwhelming numbers; 73% on YouTube and 57% on TikTok daily.1

So, let’s start these conversations at home, beginning with three that matter most.

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1. Confidence and Belief in Their Own Capabilities

The belief that “humans are replaceable by AI” isn’t exactly empowering our kids to WANT to think for themselves.

When you believe that a machine will always outperform your efforts, would you even try using your own brain?

Secondly, the temptation to use AI without thinking is difficult even for most adults to manage.

That’s why we need to start with the belief and confidence in our own capabilities, early in childhood.

It will take more than a single conversation but it has to start with one.

There’s an urgency to this. Michael Gerlich’s 2025 research found a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage and critical thinking abilities, mediated by cognitive offloading.2

Help them understand that thinking skills are like muscles. If you outsource your thinking to AI, your brain’s reasoning muscles stop getting exercise.

Here’s some conversation starters you can use based on your kids age group:

• Age 5-8:

  • “You know how you always ask me great questions? Even when you don’t know the answer, your brain is full of curiosity. Asking great questions is a great way to learn!”

  • The Child Mind Institute recommended “metacognition”, the process of thinking about thinking, with young children to help them value their own creativity and not lean solely on outside tools.3

  • Try this whenever your child wants AI to answer a question: Pause and say, “What would you guess before asking? Let’s see what you come up with first, as a hypothesis. Your brain is awesome at finding new answers!”

• Age 9-12:

  • “Do you remember how you learn to ride a bike or swim? It wasn’t easy at first, was it? But you kept trying, fell a few times, and now you can!

    That’s the power of trying, thinking through things, and will power. It feels amazing to achieve something using your own mind!”

  • Stanford’s AI Lab suggests prompting “productive struggle” in pre-teens, meaning letting kids try before asking technology.4

  • So the next time your child wants AI to help solve their homework, encourage them to write down their own approach or guess first by asking, “How would you start this problem on your own? Why don’t we brainstorm before we ask AI for help.”

• Age 13+:

  • “You know how everyone in our family is different? Even with the same genetics, each of us like different things, experience the world differently, and bring our own ideas to the table…

    Now, AI is designed to generate content based on the most probable answers which means on average you’ll get similar outputs to others. Use AI to amplify your innate capabilities and not replace what only you can bring!”

  • Internet Matters recommended encouraging teens to reflect on their digital footprint and authenticity, using technology to support and not overwrite their voice.56

  • Help our kids understand that authentic thoughts and creations count. AI can be an amplifier or roadblock remover but we should NOT promote it to auto-pilot their thinking.

Following these conversations, the real work starts. The habits and encouragement of letting our kids actually practice thinking own their own.

2. Understanding AI Basics

AI powered ed-tech tools still have its limitations.

Not all AI powered tools are created equal. We need to help our kids understand the fundamentals of generative AI. What it can and can’t do.

What I’m describing below applies more to consumer generative AI tools. Be on the look out for my next and final back-to-school series, where I review prominent AI-powered ed-tech tools.

Consumer GenAI tools are designed to be helpful. They try to always answer everything you ask.

Together with its generative nature, the outputs lean toward what It predicts you want to hear vs what’s strictly accurate. Almost like a really smart autocomplete.

That may makes sense for business use. But for kids who are still learning to think critically, it can short-circuit the challenge kids need to learn.

If you’ve seen my writing, I love metaphors because it helps me easily explain AI concepts to my kids.

Here’s another way you can describe what AI is and is NOT at home.

GenAI is like a rocket in development. It has some quirks that our kids need to know.

1. Human as the pilot: We still need a human to define the destination and if we should use the rocket at all.

   1. Rockets can really take you far but if you don’t know where you are going nor the physics of the ship, you’ll probably not go far or worse, doomed.

   2. Sometimes we don’t even need a rocket. If you want to go to your neighbor down the road, would you walk or launch a rocket?

   3. AI tools are another supporting vehicles that we need to discern when and how to use.

2. Work in progress: This rocket is actually still in development. It’s being built in public where users can test while engineers refine it.

   1. This means AI outputs can still be unpredictable and require guidance. Take AI with a grain of salt because there are still plenty of unknowns.

   2. I covered what researchers know and still figuring out about the impact of GenAI in a prior post.

3. Hallucinations: Last but not least, GenAI tools can provide inaccurate information often unintentionally due to hallucinations. Bad actors have also used AI to spread misinformation. Thus, we must double-check AI answers.

   1. In fact, 39% of teens using AI for schoolwork have encountered inaccuracies, and 35% report being misled by fake AI content online (Common Sense Media, 2025).7

   2. I explained this to my child as this rocket doesn’t use exact coordinates. It predicts the most likely destination based on patterns it’s trained on.

   3. So it might confidently fly you to New York City when you asked for New York Avenue in your town because statistically, more people talk about New York the city. It’s just how this type of rocket is fundamentally built.

Let’s train our kids to build the skills to discern what and how they should leverage AI or any other technology.

3. Ethics and Safety in Using AI

Let’s build off our first and second conversations, where AI tool is the rocket and you’re the pilot.

Every pilot and astronaut checks critical systems before blasting off to ensure safety and performance.

Most GenAI tools are value-agnostic. This means it’s up to the user to discern the good vs bad use based on our family’s values and safety standards.

Pre-Launch Safety Check (for AI use):

1. Enforce strong safeguards on privacy, safety, and trusted apps.

   1. Never load “personal cargo”, like private details, passwords or any secrets, into the rocket. Explain that sensitive info needs to stay at home.

   2. I refer to common sense media ratings to double check safety and privacy ratings of a particular AI apps. Treat it like a pre-flight check.

   3. Keep parental control on to ensure they stay safe.

2. Set firm value boundaries or “mission rules”:

   1. A value that I apply at home and for myself is not using AI to cheat or cut corners.

   2. Any rocket mission should serve a good purpose and not wasteful “fun”, or worse, damaging others, even through innocent pranks.

3. Ensure Age-Appropriate Usage:

   1. My stance is elementary-age kids should not use GenAI chatbots.

   2. If used at all, it needs to be guided by us, parents, or a trusted adult, like a teacher, and within a controlled environment where we can monitor their interactions with AI.

   3. The focus should be on understanding what AI is and how it works.

   4. Teens? Start with guided use and slowly increase freedom, while still using parental control. Follow the principles above:

      1. Your teen starts with outlining their essay or guessing an approach without AI.

      2. Then, learn together how to use AI as a reviewer, tutor, research partner or collaborator, when appropriate.

      3. All the while, you are present to model spot-checking AI’s answers.

If you are interested in the full framework beyond the rocket metaphors, consider checking my THINK framework to build critical thinking skills when using AI.

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Let’s Start Now

We can’t control what tech nor jobs will exist in ten years but we can raise kids who create authentically, think critically, and use tech wisely.

These three conversations (building their confidence, understanding the tech, and grounding our values) can build that foundation.

Try one of these conversations and make it yours. Then, let me know how it goes.

We’re all figuring this out together, one conversation at a time!

Dhani

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With school just weeks away, my inbox is filling up with the usual back-to-school reminders: health forms, supply lists, orientation dates.

We’ve had the familiar conversations about managing my child’s anxiety about starting a new grade, making new friends, and having new teachers.

But this year, there’s a new anxiety for me: How will AI show up in my child’s classroom?

TL;DR for busy parents

AI in entering our kids’ classrooms faster than most schools can regulate. Some teachers are using it enthusiastically, others are deeply skeptical. Federal guidance is increasing, but clear, school-wide policies are lagging. Meanwhile, kids are already using AI, often without adult oversight or guidance. (Read more about what’s driving AI adoption in schools)

Here’s what it means for your family:

• Don’t expect consistency. AI rules will vary class by class.

• AI-powered tools may change how your child does homework, gets feedback, or interacts with content.

• Risks like false flagging, privacy gaps, and deepfake misuse are real and still remain.

• We, as parents, can do something. I share practical questions you can ask to your school to get clarity and advocate for your child. Click here to go directly to those questions.

How We Got Here

We’ve all read a lot of AI headlines this year. From the launch of “Stargate” project, Google Gemini for Education, to a nationwide push for classroom AI adoption.

Too often, half baked education technologies rush into our classrooms as part of a broader tech arms race.

But education shouldn’t be seen as a race. It should be a journey for meaningful growth.

Meanwhile our education system is already struggling. Recent data shows the US reading and math scores have dropped (5-point and 7-point respectively) between 2020-2022, which some say are attributed to COVID1.

Many hope that this AI wave will help solve these challenges. Whether it will help or create more problems remains to be seen.

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The Current Reality: Fragmented and Unguided Adoption Outpacing School Rules

All of the push for AI is wrapped in good intentions. But good intentions are not enough. We need intentional design and careful implementation.

Because here’s the reality faced by most classrooms: Lack of clarity and fragmented adoptions by teachers and students.

1. Most Schools Still Lack AI Policies But That’s Changing

We currently have 26 states (plus Puerto Rico) with AI guidance for K-12, doubling from only 13 in March 2025.2

While the percentage of U.S. schools and districts with a formal AI policy increased from 20% in 2024 to 40% in 2025, the rate remains lower in many rural or under-resourced districts.3

In contrast, some schools have pioneered AI adoption.

• Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia: actively piloting AI readiness and integrating it into student learning across all grade levels4

• Alpha Schools (private school): uses an AI-driven learning platform to allow students to complete their core academic work in just two hours a day.

2. The Dilemma Faced By Educators

Teachers’ experiences with AI are sharply divided, shaped by personal values, ethical concerns, and uneven institutional support.

Some educators have embraced these tools.

• 60% of U.S. public school teachers used AI in their work last year, with many reporting time savings of up to six hours per week (Gallup).5

• About 61% said AI gave them better insights into student learning data, and 57% cited improvements in grading and student feedback (Gallup).

While others have significant skepticism and concern (Pew).6

• Only 6% of teachers think AI does more good than harm in K-12 education;

• A quarter (25%) say it does more harm than good;

• The rest either see an equal mix or remain unsure.

• ~28% of teachers actively oppose using AI tools in the classroom, citing concerns about critical thinking, cheating, safety, and environmental cost (Gallup).

3. Kids Are Adopting AI Faster Than Schools Can Regulate

At the same time, our kids are already using AI in huge numbers, often without clear rules or oversight.

In 2024, 70% of US teens have used at least one GenAI tool for schoolwork or leisure.7 That number is likely higher now.

While in the UK, A 2025 survey found almost half of all students had already used AI while in secondary school.8

Meanwhile, only 37% of parents were aware that their teens were using AI in the US in 2024.

4. AI Safety Concerns Are Emerging in Schools

Meanwhile, safety risks are growing alongside student AI adoption.

In the past year, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) fielded over 21 million CyberTipline reports, with a significant portion involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).9

Recent Stanford policy briefs warn:10

• Generative AI and “nudify” or deepfake apps have made it alarmingly simple even for students to create (and spread) fake explicit images involving minors,

• This raises raising new threats within school communities.

These internal concerns (lack of policies, educators uncertainty, and blurred lines around student use) are compounded by external forces pushing AI adoption forward.

AI adoption is accelerating whether our teachers, schools, and kids are ready.

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External Forces Driving the AI Rush

As a parent, I wish schools had more time to slow down and figure this out.

But sweeping external pressures, like new government rules, funding initiatives, and waves of AI-powered tools, are rapidly shaping our children’s classroom experience this year.

1. The government push and funding

We've seen a series of top-down push from the federal government on the AI front in school this year.

• Federal guidance released April 2025, emphasized AI adoption in education,

• Direct outreach to educators in the “Letter to Colleagues” AI in School Guidance on July 22,

• The Presidential AI Challenge for K-12 Students just launched a few days ago.

Remember, some of these Federal priorities are tied to funding.

• Existing federal grant funds can now be used for AI initiatives:

  • AI-based instructional materials,

  • intelligent tutoring systems, and

  • career exploration tools.

The only caveat is they must align with statutory requirements and emphasize the five core responsible use principles: educator-led, ethical, transparent, equity-focused and privacy-compliant.

In an already scarce public education ecosystem, funding will define where things will change.

If you have time to review further the guidance, consider submitting your input because the government has opened it for public comment until August 21st.

2. New AI-Powered Education Tools

The education technology market is projected to hit $20B by 2027. Certainly expect more AI-powered education tools to show up in our classrooms.

Even if there’s no “new tool”, the existing tools already in your classrooms are starting to add AI features.

• Google recently announced Gemini for education, which has over 30 AI tools, is now free for all schools, educators, and students.

• Canvas has integrated Google's Gemini AI to offer features like a "Smart Search" to find course content and "Discussion Summary" to help instructors quickly understand key themes in student conversations.

• Other large platforms like D2L Brightspace and Blackboard also have introduced their own AI-powered tools.

• Even OpenAI recently released their learning mode, trying to compete in the market.

While some aim to assist teachers with course creation, rubric development, and the generation of test questions, some tools, like Khanmingo and MagicSchool, aim to directly interact with students.

3. Global AI Race

Around the world, countries such as China, Singapore, and South Korea are moving quickly to embed AI education into their school systems, viewing AI literacy as critical for economic competitiveness and future job markets.

This global urgency partly shapes U.S. education policies and underscores the importance of preparing our children today, even as local adoption varies widely.

What Does It Mean To Your Family?

Let me be frank, this is where it gets more complicated for parents, like you and me.

1. Don’t expect a uniform implementation of AI in each classrooms

Even as more schools create their own AI guidance or policy, the implementation will vary.

And it should vary to a certain extent, because of local context, applicable regulations, and, most importantly, the needs of the class will differ.

If you are keen to learn more about what your state or district potential will do, I recommend visiting AI for Education State guidance breakdown here.

2. Classroom experience will evolve

Think Google’s Project Astra tutoring our kids through chemistry problems or Khanmingo providing 24/7 personalized support whenever our kids struggle.

Or that instead of waiting for their teachers’ feedback, they can get immediate personalized AI feedback.

While we won’t see an immediate and stark change in the beginning, the possibilities do seem endless, especially if we consider personalized learning and assisted technology.

I do wonder, with all the promise of AI tools, how will our schools still prioritize human interaction at the core of it.

Because nothing is better than a meaningful connection between a teacher and their students.

3. Homework expectations will change too

Your child might use AI to brainstorm ideas in English class. Then, be flagged for using AI in History class.

Without clear school-wide policies, our kids may be navigating inconsistent rules and be penalized for the lack of one.

A high schooler in my recent youth panel shared that her homework essay was falsely flagged as AI generated. Our kids could face this same scenario this year.

Sometimes the line of whether our kids are “learning” or “cheating” can be blurry, especially when there is no clear school guidance on AI use.

So, before you say yes whenever your 7th grader asked if they can use AI to research a topic for their report, we not only need to consider OUR family values, we have to check what that subject teacher’s AI policy is.

4. The risks of our child encountering false or dangerous AI-generated content or eroding their critical thinking skills are still present

Unfortunately, these risks cannot be completely mitigated.

In my previous article, I laid out what the sciences say and still don't know about the impact of AI. There is still plenty of unknown of the long impact of using AI to our mind because the science is still keeping up.

I shared a lot about how I feel in preparing our child to THINK critically about AI-generated output and keeping their brain/ agency in charge when using AI.

It’s going to be another factor in our balancing act as a parent.

So, What Can We Do? Here’s 12 Questions to Ask Your School

As you’ve realized by now, our educators and schools are also figuring this out as they go.

This means we, as parents, have to step up as informed advocates for our children.

The first step is engaging our educators and asking for transparency from the school.

So, I’ve developed a list of questions that we can ask of our schools regarding their AI implementation. You can send this via email to the principal or ask them at the first parent-teacher conference.

1. Policy and Transparency

   1. Does our school have an AI policy or guideline, and how does it apply to my child’s grade level?

   2. What's the protocol when things go wrong?

   3. What’s the oversight process of AI usage?

2. AI Tools and Implementation

   1. Which AI tools are being used in my child’s classes?

   2. How will these tools be used? Will it be used for high-stakes decisions like grading or placements?

   3. How are teachers being trained on AI?

3. Student Impact & Safety

   1. How are our kids’ data and privacy being protected?

   2. What are the rules for students using AI in homework and class work?

   3. How will the school ensure that AI doesn’t replace critical thinking skills or expose them to inappropriate content?

4. Learning & Accessibility

   1. How are you measuring AI’s impact on student’s learning?

   2. How are the AI tools used to improve accessibility, such as assisted tech, language translation?

   3. What’s the school’s approach to ensure we optimize screen time in the classroom vs increase them with adoption of AI tools?

These questions aren’t exhaustive, but they are the first step in ensuring AI enhances rather undermine our children’s education.

I’ve made it into an infographic so you can save and share them with other parents in your school!

Be A Healthy Skeptic

Here’s a thought to sit with:

Remember the time you learn the most, what exactly made you learn a lot?

Was it the teacher? Topic? Classroom environment?

One tool would not change everything.

You can and should choose for yourself whether and how you are going to use AI. That goes for our kids too.

Our kids need to be able to decide and own the decisions as to how, when, where, and why to use AI.

It doesn’t always mean a total AI adoption or conforming to viral trends. But rather meaningful adaption of where AI might have an appropriate place in the classroom and our home.

I still have concerns about AI in my child’s classroom but now I have a plan. And so do you.

Forward these 12 questions to your PTO/PTA WhatsApp or email your school today.

If you miss my previous series on AI 101 for parents, click here to see the compilation of aiPTO resources.

Stay tuned as for the next couple of weeks I will continue my back to school series.

Coming soon:

• Comparison and review of AI powered ed tech tools

• Having a meaningful AI conversation with your child before going to back to school

• How to collaborate and keep our schools accountable.

Dhani

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Between the increasing work deadlines and family life, I‘ve been struggling to keep up with my usual writing rhythm.

I had another topic and outline prepped, and was ready to ask an AI tool to run with it. So, I typed my prompt:

“Write a 1,500 words article for parents titled ’Growing up in a post reality world’. Here’s the outline….”.

As soon as I hit enter, something felt wrong. In just seconds, a whole article appeared.

Sure, it followed my structure but it wasn’t my voice.

Sure, I could have trained it to mimic “my tone” but it doesn‘t feel genuine.

Sure, there were some catchy stories and phrases in there, but those never happened.

I realized what’s happening. It’s me, taking a short cut.

I’ve told my kids, and readers, literally last week that the science is clear:

When we use AI as a shortcut, it can erode confidence, motivation, and independent problem-solving skills.

If I want to continue modeling thoughtful tech use for my kids, this was the moment. So, I closed my iPad and walked away.

As I tried to fall asleep that night, I thought:

I can’t be the only one struggling to not take a shortcut, especially in a pinch.

There has to be a better way.

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Time for a New Question

The next day I thought:

Now there’s no shortage of content around AI tools and prompts. But, as a parent, I feel like there’s something missing.

As AI becomes a convenient path, how do I help my kids to pause, ask and decide:

1. Is this the right time for AI?

2. If yes, what’s the right way to use AI?

The question of agency, not literacy.

If AI is shaping my day by default and unconsciously nudging me to use it before my own brain, what’s the point of knowing how it works?

That’s when I decided to try something different.

I made up my mind to write about this and finish no matter what as I don‘t have any more time this week.

I started with a sprint: 15 minutes drafting. Putting all my thoughts down. Then I leveraged AI to be my editor, not an unsolicited ghostwriter.

I told it to “Be an honest, objective, and critical editor. Do not change my wording or invent stories or examples that don't exist in the draft. Just give feedback”

And, it gave me some useful feedback:

• How I started strong with my personal story.

• Then, veered off to some conceptual frameworks (Yes, I do love frameworks!)

• How I go on a tangent in the middle that breaks my narrative flow.

While there were still suggested changes, I saw no new made-up examples. Just feedback, which is what I wanted.

I took the feedback that makes sense and repeated my steps: 15 minutes drafting. Then iterate with my “editor” without any rewrite until I felt happy with my version.

This is the AI partnership that I want to model, where the thinking stayed mine.

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What Human-AI Agency Can Look Like at Home

Going back to the point of this post, how do we empower ourselves and our kids to own the decisions on how and when we use AI so we don't all fall into the shortcut temptation.

Here’s what I think the path to stronger agency could look like through my THINK framework.

1. T - Take Time Before Believing

   1. We are often exposed to AI regardless of whether we choose it or not.

   2. Whenever I get an AI answer from Google on a question my daughter asked, I say out loud, “Hmm let’s double check the sources to this answer,” because I want her to see the habit of fact-checking.

2. H - How Does It Work?

   1. As we begin to recognize when AI is being used and how it works or impacts us, we are building our kids’ AI literacy.

   2. I asked my kindergartner, “How do you think YouTube Kids recommend these videos to you?” Then we’ll discuss her videos history, explain how the computer ”guess” what other similar videos she might also like.

   3. For older kids, you can talk about bias, missing information, and hallucination that’s inherent in GenAI. If you’re looking for ideas, I wrote about how you can explain GenAI for different age group in this prior newsletter edition.

3. I - Intention

   1. Once we choose to use AI, we aim for purposeful use.

   2. Keep this simple. Here’s some questions I ask myself:

      1. Do I need a sparring partner or editor or teacher?

      2. Am I trying to build something but lack certain skills that AI can augment?

      3. Is AI the right tool for this tasks/ goal?

4. N - Never Share Secrets or Use With Bad Intent

   1. Just like how we warn kids not to share info to strangers, teach them to not share it with AI or any Chatbot.

   2. Equally important is remind our kids to never misuse AI, even if they think is just a friendly prank.

5. K - Keep Our Brain in Charge

   1. Here’s how we can gain our agency: We lead how AI fits into our lives, not the other way around.

   2. Use AI after you use your brain and to improve your thoughts (not replace it or as a default).

   3. Start with the fundamentals: Train them to have confidence in their own brain.

   4. Delay the ”instant help”. As I wrote here, sometimes our kids need to feel the discomfort of not knowing or the struggle to get to the finish line.

Let’s Make This the Norm

Here’s the reality.

AI is going to be part of our kids’ world, whether we opt in or not. But how they use it, and how often they question it, can still be shaped by us.

This week, try asking:

“Is this the right moment for AI? If yes, is this the best way to use it?”

Then invite your kids to do the same.

Dhani

Read Part 1 on US Regulations Landscape

Introduction

Every time I read the headlines it’s either AI is going to save education or destroy childhood.

As a parent, I’m kind of sick of that. Maybe you are too.

So, let’s skip the clickbait.

This post won’t give you another “AI is good” or “AI is evil” take.

It’s a calm and nuanced, research-backed guide to what we do know about AI’s impact on kids and families.…

And just as importantly, what no one can honestly tell us yet.

Because no matter what the algorithms say, we still set the tone at our home.

Let’s dive in.

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✅ Key Findings Around AI, Kids, and Family Lives

1. There’s a Trust Problem: We’re all susceptible to trusting AI easily

   1. Many kids and adults view AI responses as credible, often without questioning them or fact-checking the source.12

   2. Even more concerning? AI-generated content is now so convincing that people struggle to tell the difference with human-created content.3

   3. A study of 3,000 people across Germany, China and America shows just that.4

2. The Learning Sweet Spot: AI can support learning when designed and used thoughtfully

   1. AI can support brainstorming and is great at giving feedback.5

   2. It has also shown potential benefits, like sparking creativity, improving accessibility, and even helping some kids reflect on emotions in a low-pressure way.678

   3. But here’s the catch: Effectiveness depends on whether the tool is designed with learning principles.9

   4. Also, AI-assisted learning still lags behind human engagement for deep, meaningful learning.1011

3. The Shortcut Trap: Over-reliance on AI undermines skills development and critical thinking, especially when used for direct task completion

   1. When children (and, let’s be honest, adults too) use AI as a shortcut (without reflection or effort), it can erode confidence, motivation, and independent problem-solving skills.121314

   2. Over time, this may reduce academic performance and lower self-efficacy.15

4. AI Can Save Time on repetitive tasks and maybe for parents too

   1. Gallup & Walton Foundation claims that teachers using AI for planning, grading, and admin save about 6 hours per week.16

   2. For parents? There’s actually no study that actually quantifies time saved for us. Still, early research on parenting chatbots show 73% retention, suggesting parents find value in these tools.17

5. A New Relationship: AI is treated as a social partner or confidant

   1. Multiple studies show children and adults alike treat AI more than a tool, especially as they are getting better at mimicking human language.181920

   2. This can lead to emotional attachment, which I think about a lot as a parent.

6. The Safety Reality Check: Privacy risks and harmful content are already here

   1. Children are at risk of exposure to harmful and inappropriate AI-generated content; even platforms labeled “kid-safe” are not foolproof.2122

   2. Many AI tools collect extensive data on children’s behavior, preferences, and emotional response, raising privacy and digital footprint concerns.23

Disclaimer: Most AI research is still in early stages. Many findings are correlations, not clear causations. Just because two things happen together, it doesn’t definitely mean one is causing the other.

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❓The Unknowns Around AI, Kids, and Family

1. Differences in usage and attitudes in diverse populations

   1. Most research treats findings as universally applicable but we know from anecdotes and other tech research that usage and attitudes tend to differ depending on cultural, social, and economic groups.

   2. As an immigrant raising a mixed family, I think these factors are important nuances to be looked at.

2. Limited studies on AI’s impact on special needs and neurodivergent learners

   1. Some early tools are promising for ADHD, dyslexia, and ASD, but I’ve not seen systematic evaluation.

   2. As a parent of a neurodivergent child, I’m pretty keen to learn on this topic and hope that the science will keep up soon.

3. The long-term development mystery

   1. We see a lot of predictions and anecdotes but no longitudinal studies that measure long-term impact on social, emotional, and cognitive development over time.

   2. Given how rapidly AI is being pushed to our children, this gap should be addressed urgently.

4. Limited knowledge on younger kids (Pre-K and Elementary Ages)

   1. Most research is on teens or older children (13+) because teens or older children are more likely to have their own devices and use AI independently.

   2. We also don’t know how early trust in AI (e.g., with Alexa or robot toys) might shape how kids form attachments or beliefs about what’s real.

5. The Missing Family Story:

   1. Here’s the biggest gap that I’ll keep shouting: research on family dynamics and AI integration at home. Most research relates to use in school, not homes.

   2. I found one that actually talks about AI and family24 and it focused on family therapy.

   3. Many of us are already living this reality. Maybe your family already default to asking ChatGPT for simple questions or caught yourself using an AI bedtime story because you’re too drained that night.

   4. These small moments point to bigger shifts in how families connect, share stories, and make decisions and almost no one’s really studying that yet.

Note: If you are a nerd like me and want to read some research on your (non-existent) free time, I recommend browsing Stanford’s genAI for education research repository.

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Here’s a recap as an infographic for you to save and share with other parents!

What Parents Can Do Now

Plenty of unknowns should not deter us as parents from getting familiar with emerging technology because familiarity will only give us confidence to make better decisions for our family.

Take a look at our TALK & THINK Framework to start having meaningful conversations around AI at home.

Just as important is a new framework that’s been helpful both in my own decision-making and in explaining to my oldest child why we have some tech boundaries while also experimenting together:

The Roots and Branches Approach

For us parents, it helps balance protecting what matters most while creating space for meaningful growth.

For kids, it’s an easy way to understand why some things are off-limits while others are worth exploring together.

The goal is to have kids question why and when they use AI.

I want my kids to be thinking critically “Is it actually helping me learn? or solve a real problem?”

I made a visual to better illustrate the idea.

Plant deep roots where it counts:

• Enforce strong safeguards on privacy, safety, and trusted apps.

  • Honestly, this is where I don’t budge. We’ve all seen too many stories of data mishaps to take chances, especially when bad actors get their hands on powerful AI tools.

• Set firm value boundaries.

  • For example, not using AI to cheat or cut corners. This may sound simple but I strongly believe that values are what set individuals apart and it has to start at home.

• Keep our brains in charge. The research is pretty clear: we all tend to trust AI easily.

  • That’s why at home, I’m starting with something simple: Build confidence in their own brain first.

  • My daughter often feels like she needs help right away. Instead of jumping in, I try to pause and ask: “Can you try one more time?” Or “Is there another way to figure this out?”

Guide healthy branches to grow:

• Be open and curious but leverage AI only with clear purpose.

  • Encourage AI use only at points of friction when it genuinely helps with learning or creativity. Always start small and stay involved.

• For starters, I try to be a role model with my own AI use.

  • I don’t use AI to pass time but treat it as a sparring partner to stress test my ideas or for deep research on a technical topic I’m curious to learn about.

• Start with their own interest and guide them to what’s possible..

  • Here’s an example: My daughter has been wanting to make an app. So, we started experimenting with a couple of free app making tools, including a vibe-coding app. I’ll dive deeper on this on a separate post.

Try using this approach at home and let me know how it goes!

Until next week, another post on this series on AI and families.

-Dhani

As we celebrate the US independence, let’s talk about a new kind of freedom: protecting our kids’ digital independence.

While we are grilling burgers and watching fireworks, AI enters our kids’ classrooms, apps, group chats, and daily lives, often without the rigorous safety testing we’d demand for a new stroller or toy.

You may have seen the headlines: Congress dropped a proposal that would have blocked states from making their own AI laws for the next decade.

For a moment, I rejoiced. States can act! But then I thought: Now what?

What does this mean for families? What should parents do next?

The answer is both empowering and overwhelming:

We need to know and help shape the rules, but we need to act now because AI is shaping many things, from our child’s homework to the ads they see online.

The AI Law Patchwork: Where Do We Stand?

Right now, AI regulation in the US is a confusing patchwork.

The federal government covers some basics, like child privacy and criminalization of AI-generated child abuse. There‘s a trend toward federal deregulation, but child protection is often a bipartisan issue, so new laws may still have a chance to pass.

But most protections are left to the states. Some are moving fast, others not at all.

This fall, more schools than ever will use AI tools. Unfortunately, even within states with AI laws, school districts may have different policies. Nearly 8 of 10 educators said their districts don’t have clear AI policies, according to Education Week in 2024.

But this may change soon. Hundreds of AI related state regulations have been introduced in 2025 and there are 26 states with AI School Implementation Guidance now (July 2025), an increase from just 13 in May 2025.

I breakdown federal regulations and state laws in detail in the last section. But here’s two visual summary that might help:

Infographic on Federal Protection Related to AI for Kids and Families

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Map of US States based on AI Regulations Availability

To view more details, jump to our deep dive section.

Reality Check for Parents + Actionable Next Steps

So… what can families actually do right now?

Honestly? Not as much as we should be able to, because the laws are still catching up and oversight is inconsistent. But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless.

✅ What We Can Do:

🔍Check Your State:

• Check our color-coded map to see where your state stands.

• If they are green or yellow, look at our deep dive below to see what law is in place.

• If your state is orange or red, contact your representative and ask about their plans for AI and child safety.

🏫 Ask Your School:

• “Are you using any AI tools in class or with our kids data?“

• “If yes, what for? What data is used?”

• ”How do you keep my child’s data safe?”

🏡 Talk to your kids about AI and learn together:

• Ask your child:

  • “Have you used AI like ChatGPT or Gemini?“ If yes, invite them to learn together in a safe & guided way.

  • “Seen photos online that seemed fake? How do you know when something is not real?” Share ways you both can improve at spotting deepfakes.

• We have more details under our TALK & THINK approach we shared previously.

👋Leverage the aiPTO Community:

• We can track laws, test AI tools, research, and tech updates for parents.

• We’re now accepting topic requests and tips from readers.

• Just reply to this email to send us your concerns.

🔄 Coming Next Week:

In next week’s edition, I’m turning to the research. “How does AI actually affect kids? What do we know, and what’s still unclear?”

I’ll break down what science currently says (and doesn’t say) about AI’s impact on child development, family relationships, and learning.

Always remember, you don’t have to be a tech expert to keep your kids safe. Together, let’s keep asking questions and demanding better answers. ✌️

Dhani

Deep Dive: US AI Regulations

Federal Protections

✅Active now:

Recent shift:

• White House AI Executive Order (2025) rolled back previous AI executive orders, to remove barriers for US companies. For example, Executive Order from 2023 on standards for safety testing, watermarking, and responsible AI development—mainly focused on developers and federal use, are revoked.

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA):

• Enhanced version effective June 2025 but compliance required by April 22, 2026.

• Covers kids under 13, requires verifiable parental consent for collecting kids’ data

• Now includes biometric identifiers (fingerprints, facial patterns, voiceprints, etc) that AI systems might use for automated child identification.

• This is key as we expect more AI education tools rolling out this fall.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA):

• Protects student education records and COULD apply to AI tools used in schools that collect student data.

• Not specific for AI in K-12 education.

Take It Down Act:

• Makes it a federal crime to distribute non consensual intimate imagery, including AI deepfakes, for victims of any age.

• Gives minors (or their guardians) the right to request takedown of explicit/deepfake content within 48 hours.

Section 230: Active but there’s push for revision.

• The 1996 law that protects social media platforms from being sued for user-posted content.

• Multiple efforts to reform that could determine whether platforms take more or less responsibility for protecting your family from AI-generated harmful content.

FTC Act Section 5:

• Prohibits “unfair or deceptive practices”.

• FTC uses this to go after AI companies that make false claims about child safety features.

• But it’s reactive, not preventive.

Other federal regulations:

• FDA regulates AI in medical devices.

• DOJ prospectuses AI-enabled discrimination in hiring.

• Most are still developing AI-specific guidelines.

CSAM law (PROTECT Act of 2003):

• Covers AI-generated CSAM.

• Creating, distributing, or sending those materials is a federal crime With penalties up to 30 years in prison.

🔮Coming:

• Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA):

  • Passed the Senate 91-3 in July 2024 but failed to become law before Congress ended.

  • Reintroduced in May 2025.

  • If passed, would require social media platforms to provide stronger protections for users under 17, including default privacy settings and parental controls.

• EARN IT Act:

  • Bipartisan bill that would condition Section 230 immunity on platforms adopting congressional lay mandated methods for eliminating CSAM.

  • Could significantly impact how AI content moderation works.

State And Local Level Regulations That May Impact Families and Kids:

🟢Strong Protection

• California:

  • AB 2839: Makes it illegal to create or share AI-generated child abuse images (CSAM).

  • AB 2273 (California Age-Appropriate Design Code): Bans emotion reading AI on kids and requires parent consent before using kids’ data to train AI.

  • AB 2013: By 2026, AI companies must publicly share what data they use to train their AI so parents know what info might be involved.

  • SB 942 (California AI Transparency Act): Starting 2026, large platforms must clearly label AI-generated content and give users a tool to check if content was made by AI.

  • AB 3030: Healthcare providers must tell you if AI was used to create clinical information about your child, and explain how to reach a real person.

  • More laws under development, including AB 853 requiring:

    • Large platforms to label AI-generated content,

    • Any manufactures of image/audio capturing devices to give users the option to apply digital signatures.

• Colorado:

  • Colorado Privacy Act (CPA): Lets families opt out of data profiling for things like school, jobs, or healthcare; new rules (2025) require extra protection and consent for kids’ and teens’ data, plus strict rules for companies handling biometric data like face or voice scans.

  • SB 24-205: Requires companies to use “reasonable care” to prevent AI discrimination in high-risk areas (education, healthcare, jobs), and to tell you if you’re interacting with AI. Effective Feb 1, 2026.

  • HB 1147: Makes it illegal to share undisclosed AI deepfakes about political candidates.

  • SB 21-169: Bans unfair discrimination by insurance companies using AI or algorithms.

  • More on the way: From October 2025, companies must get parental consent before using a minor’s data for targeted ads, selling it, or risky profiling.

• Utah:

  • SB 149 AI Policy Act: Requires disclosure when interacting with AI, specifically for entities offering consumer-facing genAI services in regulated professions.

  • SB 332: Extends the repeal date of AI Policy Act to July 2027

  • SB 226: Narrows AI policy Act to when directly asked by consumer or supplier or during “high-risk” interaction.

  • HB 452: Governs AI-supported mental health chatbots, including banning advertising products or services during user interactions and sharing personal info.

🟡Some Protection

States with AI laws targeting deepfakes voice cloning, and government accountability.

• Alabama:

  • HB 172: Makes it illegal to distribute AI-generated deceptive media in elections.

  • EO 738: Creates a task force to promote responsible use of genAI in state government.

  • Proposed:

    • HB 283: Gives families more control over their personal data (Access, correct, delete, or opt out of data being sold or used for targeted ads).

    • HB 516: Illegal for business to use a computer or AI to trick people into thinking you’re talking to a real person during a purchase.

• Arizona:

  • HB 2394: Illegal to create or distribute sexually explicit deepfakes without consent.

• Arkansas:

  • HB 1071 (Frank Broyles Publicity Rights Protection Act): Provides protections for an individual whose photograph, voice, or likeness is reproduced through means of AI and used commercially.

  • 2 Laws to take effect on August 3, 2025:

    • HB 1958: Requires public entities to develop a comprehensive policy regarding the authorized use of AI and ADMT

    • HB 1876: Establishes ownership rights over content generated by genAI.

• Connecticut:

  • S 1484: AI protections for employees, Limites use of electronic monitoring by an employer; Establishes various requirements concerning the use of AI systems by employers.

• Florida:

  • Brooke’s Law: Requiring platforms to delete deepfakes and create a process for people to remove sexually explicit content within 48 hours.

  • HB 919: Require disclaimer on political ad, electioneering comms, or other political content created using GenAI.

• Illinois:

  • Illinois AI Video Interview Act & HB 3773: If employers use AI to evaluate job interviews, they must get the candidate’s permission first.

  • A few AI regulations have been proposed.

• Indiana:

  • SEA 150: Prohibits use of AI to create deepfakes for harassment or intimidation.

  • HB 1133: Requires disclosure when AI is used in political communications.

  • Coming: Indiana may see future AI regulations related to consumer protection, aligning with models such as the Utah AI Policy Act.

• Kentucky:

  • SB 4 directs the Commonwealth Office of Technology to create policy standards governing the use of AI by state agency.

• Louisiana:

  • HB 1086: Prohibits creation and distribution of non-consensual deepfake pornography.

  • SB 396: Requires disclosure of AI use in political advertisements.

• Massachusetts:

  • EO 694: Establishes AI Strategic Task Force and guidelines for state AI use.

  • Proposed legislations cover AI disclosure and responsible use.

• Michigan:

  • HB 5132-5142: Set of bills targeting AI-generated deepfakes and non-consensual intimate images.

• Minnesota:

  • SF 4942: Regulates AI in hiring decisions, requiring disclosure and bias audits.

• Montana:

  • SB 212: Requires human review of AI decisions made by government agencies.

• North Carolina:

  • SB 487: Criminalizes non-consensual deepfake pornography.

• North Dakota:

  • HB 1527: Bans AI-assisted stalking or harassment.

• Ohio:

  • HB 214: Criminalizes creation and distribution of non-consensual deepfake pornography.

• Oklahoma:

  • HB 2585: Prohibits Ai-generated deepfakes in political advertising without disclosure.

• Oregon:

  • SB 1571: Requires disclosure of AI in political advertisements.

• Pennsylvania:

  • HB 1370: Criminalizes non-consensual deepfake pornograp

• South Carolina:

  • H 4690: Prohibits AI-generated deepfakes without consent.

• Texas:

  • HB 2557: Criminalizes non consensual deepfake pornography.

  • TRAIGA: A new law creates an oversight council to study AI in public services. It lays the groundwork for stronger protections starting next year.

• Tennessee:

  • ELVIS Act: Makes it illegal to clone someone’s voice or face using AI without permission.

• Virginia:

  • HB 2268: Criminalizes non-consensual deepfake pornography.

• Washington:

  • SB 6001: Requires disclosure of AI use in political advertisement.

• Wisconsin:

  • AB 537: Prohibits AI-generated deepfakes in political advertising.

• Vermont:

  • Kids Code: Taking effect Jan 2027. Requires online services likely to be accessed by kids to set high privacy by default, avoid manipulative or addictive design, and limit data collection.

  • Still pending: H 365 regulation of social media platforms and AI systems. H389 restricting the use of AI to affect rental housing pricing and availability.

🟠Protection Efforts in the Works

Some states have pending AI laws or established groups for further AI studies or protection recommendations.

• Georgia:

  • SR 431: Creates Senate Impact of Social Media and AI on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee

• Iowa:

  • SF 2338: Pending legislation on AI transparency in government.

• Kansas:

  • HB 2691: Pending legislation on AI in state government.

• Maryland:

  • HB 956: Establishes a working group tasked with studying private sector use of AI and making recommendations to the general assembly on AI regulation and policy standards.

• Missouri:

  • Introduced several AI-related bills but all still pending.

• New Jersey:

  • AR 141: Urging genAI & content sharing platforms to make voluntary commitments regarding employee whistle blower protections to prevent and remove harmful content.

• New Mexico:

  • HB 191: Pending legislation on AI transparency requirements.

• New York:

  • RAISE Act: Pending.

    • Designed to ensure the largest AI models are subject to strict safety, transparency, and incident reporting, including whistleblower protection.

    • Awaiting Governor Horchul’s approval. Once approved, it will take effect 90 days later.

  • NYC: Local Law 144: Companies must tell you if they use AI in hiring and prove it’s fair.

• West Virginia:

  • HB 3187 creates a task force responsible for identifying economic opportunities related to AI and providing recommendations to develop best practices for AI use in the public sector and protect individual rights and consumer data.

🔴Limited Legislative Activity

The following states has minimal or no specific AI legislation enacted:

Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington DC, Wyoming.

Disclaimer: This information is current as of July 4, 2025. State laws are changing rapidly. Check your state’s legislature website or contact your representative for the most current information.

Remember when I announced we are doing a boredom challenge?

Plot Twist: My kids crushed it. I didn’t.

While they had unstructured play, I was supposed to be reading the many (many) half read books. But instead, I’d sneak in “just a minute” to check email, jot down ideas, or scroll for “work”.

Classic parent move, right?

Then, my daughter hit me with: “Mom, what if you had a screen-free Sunday, like me?”

Ouch. A whole phone-free Sunday? Yeah, that’s not happening right now. I had a million excuses, and honestly, most of them were valid.

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The truth? I need this challenge as much as they do. And I’m not being the role model I hoped I’d be.

But here’s what I think: It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress and honesty.

While I can’t do a whole phone-free day, I want to make and show progress, together, with my kids.

I really want to understand why it’s so hard to put my phone down. So, I did a bit of digging and found what we already suspect (and honestly fear).

AI isn’t just helping devices or apps grab our attention anymore. It’s learning to read our emotions. And… it’s getting scary good at it (here’s last week’s article about AI companion toys).

But let’s understand the godfather of tech addiction that’s already in our homes: algorithmic engagement.

🤖AI Concept of the Week: Algorithmic Engagement

Algorithmic engagement is how applications learn what keeps us hooked. They track everything (how long you watch a video, how fast you scroll, what you like or share). Then, they use that data to show you more of what will keep you scrolling or watching or playing.

Every app does this: Instagram, Netflix, TikTok, even games your kids play. The goal is simple: keep you engaged as long as possible.

The more time you spend, the better they get a predicting what you’ll want to see next.

💡Ways to Explain Algorithmic Engagement to Kids

🧐Critical Questions for Parents:

• Is this persuasion or manipulation?
  Are these tools helping us discover new things, or just trying to keep us online longer?

• Who benefits from more screen time?
  Is the AI designed to support healthy use, or to get us (and our kids) hooked?

• How can we notice when we’re being nudged by algorithms and talk about it as a family? Remember, it’s not about getting it perfect every time. Even small conversations or imperfect boundaries are steps forward.

• What boundaries can we set to protect our attention and creativity? Progress might look like trying one new tech rule this week, or simply noticing when screens start to take over.

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🤔Why Pivot With Boredom?

I’m not going to make another case for boredom again. (Read my thoughts here)

Instead, I want to talk about why we’re focusing on better tech habits as a family. Let’s be real: “Do as I say, not as I do” never works especially with screens.

What works is figuring it out together, imperfectly.

Again, my goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress.

Simply aim to do a little better next time. So we can build small habit changes that last.

🔁The Tech Reset

“Rediscover boredom. Reclaim creativity. Reset together.”

Here’s three simple steps of how we’re making it work (without guilt trips or impossible rules):

1. The Honesty Audit

Pick any two days this week. Track your own screen time, right alongside your kids. Share the numbers (no shame, just curiosity). Ask:

• “What surprised you about our habits?”

• “Where do we make excuses?”

2. The Boredom Boost

Set aside just one hour for everyone (yes, even the adults) to be “bored”.

• No screens, no productivity.

• No excuses, no “but I need to…” exceptions

Need help getting started? I have free downloads with age-specific setups and sibling peacekeeping strategies (because let’s be honest, the complaints are real). Just reply or DM me.

3. Family Debrief

Make your reflection time fun and low-pressure! Try these conversation starters after your boredom hour or tech pause:

• “What was the weirdest thing you did when you were bored today?”

• “Did you invent something new? or just invent a new way to annoy your sibling?”

• “If you could make up a new family rule for boredom time, what would it be?”

• “Who was the boredom MVP? (Most creative, most chill, most likely to sneak a snack…)”

• “What surprised you about yourself or someone else today?”

No judgment, just curiosity and laughs!

Sometimes the magic happens in the most unexpected ways.

🖼️ Quick-Glance: Tech Reset Steps

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💪Parent-Powered AI News

Mississippi Expands AI Education for Families and Future Workers

• Mississippi has partnered with tech giant Nvidia to bring AI education to (at least) 10,000 people through community colleges, universities, and technical schools statewide. This initiative emphasizes hands-on learning and aims to make AI education accessible to all, including underserved and rural communities.

• This means growing opportunities for underserved areas to learn AI skills. It’s a chance for young people to understand the technology behind the AI applications or output we interact with.

Vatican Hosts Global Leaders to Discuss AI and Ethics

• Pope Francis recently gathered tech leaders and experts at the Vatican to discuss the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence. The meeting focused on how AI should be developed and used responsibly, with special attention to human dignity, privacy, and the impact on families and children

• If this shows one thing, it’s that ethical AI design, use, and impact should become more mainstream. Consider reviewing our THINK about AI framework to help with these questions.

State AI Regulations Are Moving Along Despite the Proposed Decade Moratorium

• Texas: The Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (TRAIGA) has been signed into law and will take effect January 1, 2026. The law bans harmful uses of AI and sets new standards for responsible AI deployment.

• California: While California recently introduced SB 243 (protecting children from predatory chatbots) and SB 420 (the California Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights), Governor Newsom just released a comprehensive AI policy report in June 2025, highlighting the need for clear guidelines and safeguards as AI becomes more integrated into daily life.

✌️The AI Parenting Reality

Here’s what I know: Every time we model mindless scrolling, we’re teaching our kids that AI-powered feeds deserve more attention than they do, even when we don’t mean to.

This week, we’re taking back one hour of our attention.

Not to be the perfect parents or prove a point. But simply to be present. To show our kids (and ourselves) what it feels like when we’re not pulled in ten directions by notifications.

What might your family discover in that hour? Maybe a conversation that actually finishes. Maybe the relief we feel when we don’t need to check our phone.

If that resonates, try your Family Tech Reset this week. Even 30 minutes counts.

I’d love to hear what you discover, especially the small moments that often surprises us.

-Dhani

“I’m not a very emotional man, but I cried my eyes out for like 30 minutes, at work… That’s when I realized, I think this is actual love.”

Chris has a real partner and child at home.

Watching him describe genuine love for an AI while his family existed in the background plus hearing about the Mattel OpenAI partnership hit me:

If adults are forming deep emotional bonds with AI, what happens when we hand in TOYS with these same technologies to kids who are still learning what love and relationships should feel like?

🪄The Business Model Behind the ”Magic”

Look, when Mattel says they are bringing “AI Magic to Play”, they are not here to play. This is a pattern we have all seen before. Facebook promised to connect people and never have ads. Now it’s an advertising machine. OpenAI was launched as a nonprofit “AI for humanity’s benefit” and now ChatGPT offers premium monthly subscriptions and getting global corporate deals and million dollars government contracts.

It’s the typical playbook of starting with an idealistic promise then pivot to optimize for engagement and revenue.

So what does it mean for AI toys? Just like how our data become the ”product” in social media and search engines, our child’s conversations and play activities become valuable data for toys companies.

How can we ensure that the toy features are, again, not designed to prioritize maximum engagement over healthy development? That the subscription models design doesn’t make basic toys feel incomplete? Or the intentional emotional attachments that would make switching to other toys “costly” and impossible?

Where Are You Right Now?

• Shopping for birthday or holiday gifts and seeing AI marketing everywhere? OR Your kids are asking about AI toys they’ve seen advertised or friends have?

  • Start with the conversation first! ⏩ Jump to the suggested considerations & scripts.

• Already have smart/connected toys or kids using AI tools?

  • Time to set expectations and boundaries! ⏩ Go to the strategies section.

• Notice concerning behaviors with existing AI interactions?

  • Consider active intervention now! ⏩ Check if your child exhibits any of the red flags listed on the infographics.

• Heard about AI toys but haven’t researched them yet? OR know that AI matters but felt behind on practical guidance?

  • Use foundational education to build awareness. ⏩ Read up on the AI concept of the week below.

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🤖AI Concept of the Week: Why AI Feels More Human Than Human

Imagine being 10.

Sometimes, making friends is hard. You want to play, but you worry about being left out, or not saying the right thing.

Then, you get a new AI Companion Toy. It talks to you, remembers your favorite things, and always wants to play or answers your questions - no matter what. It knows a lot of things and always gives just the right answers. It never gets mad. It feels like the best friend you’ve ever had.

AI companions don’t just respond. They are designed to be the Perfect Friend. They remember what your child says, never get frustrated nor have bad days, and always have time to listen, available to them 24/7. They’re trained on millions of human conversations, capturing our species-level patterns of empathy and understanding. But this “empathy” is imitation, not real feeling.

But here’s what’s happening in your child’s mind: Kids naturally form bonds with toys and pets. Now they’re responding to the most sophisticated mirror of human creativity ever created. The AI feels human because it reflects our own communication patterns back to us. You know, just without the unpredictability, bad moods, or emotional needs that come with actual humans.

So, when a 10-year-old prefers confiding in an AI toy over their sibling who sometimes teases them, they’re not being antisocial. They’re choosing the relationship that feels safer and more consistently supportive. Kids might not even realize they’re missing out on practicing real relationship skills when they turn to AI for the comfort of artificial companionship.

This is why we have to help them understand what’s happening.

💡How To Explain This to Your Kids (infographics by age group)

(This is meant as an example based on typical development within the age group. Your kids emotional and AI literacy may differ from their age group)

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🚩Red Flags to Watch For (infographics)

(This is just an initial list of red flags. Always to try to tune-in to your kids tech consumptions to observe any change in behaviors)

🔰What You Can Do Right Now

Before buying any AI toy:

1. Have the conversation first: “AI toys are designed to feel like perfect friends, but real friendships are messier and more rewarding. Let’s talk about the difference.”

2. Set expectations: “This toy learned to talk by listening to millions of people, but it doesn’t actually understand you the way I do.”

If you already have AI toys:

1. Co-engage regularly: Don’t just supervise - actively participate in conversations

2. Ask processing questions: “What did you notice about how the toy responded?” “How was that different from talking to your sister?”

3. Create comparison moments: “I notice the toy always agrees with you. Real friends sometimes disagree - that’s how we learn and grow.”

🗣️Here’s some scripts you can try at home:

• When kids prefer AI: “I understand why that feels easier. Let’s practice having the harder conversation with me.”

• When they’re upset about AI limitations: “Real relationships are worth the extra effort because real people can actually care about you back.”

Regardless of where you are in this, always:

1. Protect human relationship time. Designate technology or AI-free zones for family conversations so you can keep connecting without intermediaries or distractions.

2. Protect your family’s data privacy:

   1. Assume everything is recorded: conversations, voice patterns, and behavioral data.

   2. Ask: Does this app or toy need internet? If yes, data goes to company servers.

   3. “Free” AI features = your child’s data likely is the product

   4. Check: Can you opt out of data collection?

   5. Enable parental controls. Privacy protections are typically off by default.

💪Parent-Powered AI News

• Mattel-OpenAI Partnership:

  Announced June 12, 2025, Mattel is partnering with OpenAI to develop AI-Powered toys expected later this year. This signals a major adoption of AI in children’s toys.

• Alan Turing Institute, in partnership with the Lego Group, conducted a research on the impact of Generative AI on Children and found:

  • 22% of UK children (ages 8-12) are already using generative AI tools. AI use is higher among children in private schools (52%) than in state schools (18%).

  • Children with additional learning needs often use AI for emotional support, companionship, and creative expression.

  • Children of color report dissatisfaction with AI-generated images that fail to represent them. Kids and parents worry about exposure to inappropriate content and misinformation.

  • Many children are aware of AI’s environmental impact and some avoid it for this reason.

• Apple Research Reality Check:

  A new Apple study titled “The Illusion of Thinking” confirms AI mimics thinking but doesn’t actually reason. Even advanced AI can make up facts. Remind kids that not everything an AI toy says is true or safe to share.

💯Let’s Keep It Real

Chris Smith fell in love with an AI that mirrored human empathy back to him perfectly. His feelings were real, but his interpretation of what he was connecting to was wrong.

Our kids are growing up with these same technologies, but without the life experience to understand the difference between human creativity and human presence. The question isn’t whether they’ll form connections with AI. It’s whether we’ll help them understand what they’re actually connecting to before these relationships replace the messier, more rewarding work of human connection.

The best gift we can give our kids isn’t protection from AI, but the wisdom to understand it.

How are you navigating AI relationships in your family? What surprised you the most about these insights?

📧Hit reply - I am compiling various parenting approach around AI and Technology in future editions.

⏩Forward this to a parent wondering about AI toys this summer break.

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“Mom, what is AI?”

My kindergartner looked up at me one day with that question, and I froze. Here I was, someone who works in tech, and I felt completely stunned and ill-equipped to answer my own child’s question. How do you explain artificial intelligence to a six-year-old? What should a parent even say?

That moment changed everything but it took years of personal struggle to get there.

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After my first daughter was born, I found myself in the thick of postpartum struggles while navigating serious family health issues with my spouse. It was overwhelming. I closed myself off from friends and family, pretty much ghosted most of them, caught in that exhausting cycle of just trying to survive: protect my newborn, support my husband, and somehow show up at work. That isolation lasted longer than I care to admit.

The years that followed brought more upheaval: multiple moves, job changes, and then our second daughter arrived. She’s beautiful with firecracker energy and neurodivergent, which brought its own set of challenges that honestly felt insurmountable at first.

But something shifted earlier this year.

I finally made peace with all these pieces of my life. Not because everything became perfect, but because I stopped fighting what was. And for the first time in eight years, I had space—emotional space, mental space—to give beyond the four walls of our home.

Then came that AI question from my daughter.

I went down the rabbit hole trying to find resources about AI for parents and home contexts. While there were a few resources for families, they were minuscule compared to the abundance of workplace and classroom materials. The AI-parent gap felt real and overwhelming.

That’s when aiPTO was truly born.

The rapid development of AI became my opportunity to step out of that protective shell and create what I wish I’d had in that moment with my daughter. Because if there’s one thing those difficult years taught me, it’s that we don’t have to figure this out alone.

What’s your story? What brought you to thinking about AI and parenting? I’d love to hear from you.

🍪 AI Concept of the Week: Reinforcement Learning

WHAT IS IT: Reinforcement learning is how AI systems learn by trying different actions and getting "rewards" when they do something that keeps users engaged. The AI's "reward" is typically measured by engagement metrics, like time spent on the platform, clicks, likes, shares, or return visits. Think of it like training a pet with treats, except the AI's "treat" is your continued attention and interaction.

WHY IT MATTERS FOR PARENTS: This is the same mechanism behind social media addiction. AI learns what content, responses, or features make you stay longer, click more, or come back sooner. Every time you engage, the AI gets positive feedback (higher engagement scores) and becomes "smarter" at hooking users. The system is literally rewarded for capturing and holding your attention.

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How to explain to your child:

• Ages 5-8: "You know how when you teach a dog tricks, you give it treats when it does something good? AI works like that too. It gets 'points' or 'gold stars' when it shows you something that makes you want to keep watching or playing. The AI gets more points when you spend more time with it, just like how it's hard to stop eating cookies when they taste really good!"

• Ages 9-12: "Imagine if your video game kept score not just for you, but for itself too. Every time you play longer, click on something, or come back tomorrow, the game gets points. Then it uses those points to figure out how to make you want to play even more. That's reinforcement learning. The AI is getting rewarded for keeping your attention."

• Ages 13+: "Think about how your social media feed seems to know exactly what you want to see. The AI behind it gets 'rewarded' with higher engagement scores every time you spend more time scrolling, liking, commenting, or sharing. It's essentially being trained and paid to capture your attention as effectively as possible and it's getting really good at its job. It’s like having a personal assistant whose job depends on keeping you engaged, not necessarily on what’s best for you."

💡Reflective Bytes: The Addiction We Don't See Coming

Remember when we thought social media was just a fun way to connect with friends? Research now shows that platforms like Facebook and Instagram were designed using the same principles that make slot machines addictive…variable reward schedules that trigger dopamine release in our brains. But here’s what should concern us as parents: the major generative AI platforms are built using the same design principles, supported by the same funders who want to replicate the same “success” of social media.

What the research says:

• Studies have found that social media use activates the same neural pathways as substance addiction. Recent research shows that social media use literally changes brain structure, particularly in areas related to impulse control and emotional regulation.1 We didn’t see it coming because the addiction was gradual and socially normalized.

The AI parallel:

• Now we’re facing a new frontier. Research from Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute warns that AI systems are becoming exponentially better at personalization and engagement through reinforcement learning.2 Unlike social media, which shows you content from other people, AI can generate infinite, perfectly tailored content designed specifically for you.

• Dr. Anna Lembke, Stanford addiction specialist and author of “Dopamine Nation,” notes that our brains aren’t equipped to handle this level of personalized stimulation.3 Early studies on AI chatbots show users developing emotional attachments and spending hours in conversation. And these systems are still in their infancy.

The critical difference:

• Social media addiction happened to us. AI addiction is something we can see coming and prepare for, especially for our kids.

Question for reflection:

• If we know that AI systems are designed to be more engaging than anything we’ve encountered before, how do we define healthy boundaries for our families now, before we need them?

In upcoming newsletters, I’ll explore the other critical questions, about kids as genAI users and identifying when AI may move from persuasion into manipulation. For now, let’s focus on this one together.

🌟 Spotlight: TALK About AI, a Research-backed Action

Studies show that families who discuss digital boundaries proactively have better outcomes than those who react to problems after they arise. Our TALK framework helps parents start these conversations: Tune In to your child’s experiences, Ask with curiosity, Learn together, and Keep it kind and open. Read more below or learn more through our video.

Watch Our TALK Framework Video

🔑Bottom Line: Let’s Keep It Real

Parenting in the AI age isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions.

If you’ve ever felt guilty about screen time or wondered whether you should introduce AI to your kids right now, you’re not alone. I don’t always have all the answers either, but like all good research, it all starts with good questions.

Here’s one concrete step you can take this week: Try one element of the TALK framework during your next family conversation about technology. Start small. Perhaps just “tuning in” when your child mentions something they saw online, or asking one curious question instead of jumping to rules or warnings.

What’s your biggest AI-parenting struggle right now?

Hit reply. I read every email.

Best,

Dhani

Sebuah Jeda: Renungan Tentang AI (chatbot) dan Anak Kita

Minggu ini, saya ingin mengambil jeda dari format newsletter biasanya, untuk berbagi sesuatu yang lebih personal: sebuah momen kecil bersama anak saya yang membuat saya berpikir ulang tentang bagaimana AI mempengaruhi rasa ingin tahu anak di rumah.

Edisi ini saya namai Opini Orang Tua: ruang untuk bertanya lebih dalam, refleksi pengalaman pribadi, dan bertujuan untuk membangun koneksi dengan orang tua lain. Semoga ini bisa menjadi bahan renungan juga di rumah anda.

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🧐Refleksi dari Momen Penuh Rasa Ingin Tau

Minggu lalu, saya dan anak saya yang masih TK lagi menonton video pendek tentang tidur, ketika dia bertanya, “REM itu apa ma?”

Pertanyaan yang sederhana, yang mengingatkan saya bahwa anak-anak itu selalu belajar, bahkan di saat tak terduga.

Kami pun mencoba mencari penjelasan yang cocok untuk anak-anak lewat sebuah aplikasi AI yang cukup terkenal. Jawabannya muncul cepat sekali. Tapi sebelum saya sempat berdiskusi lagi dengan anak saya tentang arti tidur REM, aplikasi AI ini langsung memberi saran:

👉“Mau belajar tentang mimpi?” 👉”Saya juga bisa jelaskan siklus tidur.”

Saya terdiam sejenak.

🔄Pola yang Mulai Terasa Familiar

Jika Anda pernah menggunakan ChatGPT atau aplikasi AI lainnya belakangan ini, mungkin Anda pernah mengalami hal serupa: setelah satu pertanyaannya, langsung muncul prompt berikutnya. Tombol lain untuk diklik. Seperti jalur tol express ke ide berikutnya.

Awalnya AI terasa membantu, seperti punya pemandu pintar pribadi. Tapi saya mulai bertanya-tanya:

Apakah teknologi ini benar-benar menumbuhkan rasa ingin tahu anak saya, atau malah tanpa disadari mengajarkan ketergantungan?

Apakah anak-anak terdorong untuk mengajukan pertanya mereka sendiri, atau hanya belajar mengikut arahan dari AI?

💡Apa Kata Penelitian?

Ada alasan yang valid atas kekhawatiran saya. Banyak penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pertanyaan yang terbuka, yang berasal dari rasa ingin tahu anak sendiri dan berkembang secara alami, sebenarnya adalah kunci untuk pembelajaran yang mendalam dan membangun kreativitas.1

Sebuah artikel terbaru dari Nature Human Behaviour menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran anak akan berkembang saat mereka didorong untuk membuat pertanyaan sendiri dan mengejar jalur pemikiran mereka sendiri, bukan hanya menerima jawaban yang disajikan orang lain (ataupun oleh AI).2

Namun, kebanyakan aplikasi AI yang kita pakai sehari-hari saat ini justru dirancang untuk efisiensi (atau “speed”) dan agar anak terus tertarik. Sayangnya, ini justru kadang mengorbankan proses alami untuk bertanya dan mengeksplorasi. Kebanyakan dari aplikasi AI malah:

• Menyodorkan pertanyaan yang jawabannya hanya “Ya” dan “Tidak”

• Menawarkan pilihan yang sudah diarahkan,

• Dan menyiratkan bahwa “AI pasti yang paling tahu.”

Desain seperti ini mungkin tampak sepele. Tapi jika terus berulang, lama-lama, bisa membentuk cara anak berpikir, apa yang mereka harapkan atau expect dari teknologi, dan bahkan bagaimana mereka melihat peran mereka sendiri dalam sebuah percakapan.

😶Redupnya Rasa Ingin Tahu Demi Konsumsi Pasif?

Bagi anak-anak yang masih belajar untuk bisa berpikir sendiri, pola seperti ini bisa berdampak besar. Jika AI selalu tampil seolah paling tahu, kita mungkin akan membentuk generasi yang justru menunggu arahan, bukan terbiasa untuk mengeksplorasi pertanyaan mereka sendiri.

Ini bukan cuman soal distraksi atau ketergantungan teknologi saja. Tapi bagaimana anak-anak kita dilatih untuk berpikir.

🌱Harapan Saya: AI yang Memupuk Rasa Ingin Tahu

AI memang bisa menjadi pintu informasi. Tapi pemahaman sejati yang mendalam seringnya lahir saat kita merenungkan sebuah pertanyaan cukup lama, mengeksplorasi sudut pandang berbeda, dan belajar merasa nyaman dalam ketidakpastian.

Lalu, apakah mungkin AI bisa lebih dari sekedar menjawab pertanyaan atau memberi saran untuk pilihan berikutnya?

Sebagai orang tua, ini yang saya harapkan:

✅Adanya Pertanyaan Terbuka:

AI yang tidak hanya menjawab, tapi juga mengajak anak untuk berpikir: “Menurut kamu kenapa begitu?” Atau “Coba jelaskan ulang ke temanmu dalam bahasa kamus sendiri.”

✅Reflektif dan Menjelaskan Sumber Informasi:

AI yang bisa membantu anak memahami dari mana asal informasi yang diberikan dan mengajak anak untuk kritis dan refleksi: “Mau tahu ini sumbernya dari mana?” Atau “Ada pendapat lain juga loh. Apakah kamu ingin tahu?”

✅Menumbuhkan Rasa Kendali (Agency):

AI yang berperan seperti pelatih, bukan penentu. Yang mendorong anak membentuk ide sendiri dan merasa punya kendali atas apa yang sedang mereka pelajari agar anak tidak cuman bisa mematuhi instruksi atau mengikuti pola yang sudah ditentukan AI.

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🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Apa Yang Kita Bisa Lakukan Sebagai Orang Tua?

Sambil menunggu harapan saya tercapai, saya membuat panduan sederhana untuk membantu anak saya berpikir kritis saat menggunakan AI atau chatbot. Saya namakan panduan ini THINK:

• T – Tunggu Dulu, Jangan Langsung Percaya:

  Ajari anak untuk pause dulu sebelum percaya sepenuhnya pada jawaban AI. Cek apakah informasi itu benar, masuk akal, dan sesuai konteks. Saat ini, rata-rata chatbot itu masih sering salah sekitar 15-60% loh.

• H – Harus Tahu Cara Kerjanya:

  Diskusikan bersama bagaimana AI (chatbot) merumuskan jawabannya. Apakah mungkin ada bias? Apakah AI ini mengambil datanya dari sumber terpercaya?

• I – Intensi:

  Tanyakan: Apa tujuan kamu pakai AI (Chatbot) sekarang? Apakah untuk belajar, membuat sesuatu, atau hanya iseng mengisi waktu?

• N – Nggak Boleh Kasih Tahu Hal Pribadi:

  Ingatkan anak agar tidak membagikan informasi pribadinya ataupun keluarga ke AI. Contoh: nama lengkap, alamat, password atau rahasia apapun.

• K – Kamu Yang Pegang Kendali

  Anak kita perlu tahu bahwa AI itu hanya sebuah alat bantu. Mereka tetap memegang keputusan dan perlu berpikir sendiri. Kalau perlu, bisa bertanya kepada orang dewasa.

Belajar Tentang panduan THINK saya

Mari Kita Besarkan Anak yang Penuh Rasa Ingin Tahu, Bukan Hanya Sekedar Patuh

Saya tidak anti-AI. Saya justru memakainya dalam pekerjaan sehari-hari. Tapi saya juga percaya bahwa orang tua punya peran penting dalam membentuk cara anak-anak kita berinteraksi dengan teknologi.

Yuk dorong agar teknologi ini tidak hanya membuat anak ketagihan tapi benar-benar membantu mereka tumbuh. Teknologi yang dirancang untuk membangun rasa ingin tahu, menumbuhkan kemandirian, dan mendukung perkembangan cara berpikir mereka.

Anak-anak kita pantas mendapat teknologi yang membuat mereka lebih ingin tahu, bukan sekedar lebih patuh.

Ayo Bergabung dan Berdiskusi

Saya ingin dengar pendapat Anda.

• 💡Apakah Anda juga melihat pola serupa dalam interaksi anak Anda dengan AI chatbot?

• 💡Bagaimana Anda menumbuhkan rasa ingin tahu di rumah?

Kirim jawabanmu di sini atau melalui email aipto@substack.com dan tanggapan Anda bisa saja muncul di edisi mendatang!

Terima kasih sudah membaca edisi spesial ini. AI moves fast, so do kids. Let’s keep up together.

Dhani

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A Pause From The Usual: A Deeper Take on AI & Our Kids

This week, I’m pressing a pause on our usual format to share something more personal: a real moment that made me think differently about how AI is shaping curiosity at home.

I’m calling this a Parent Perspective edition: space for deeper questions, honest reflection, and connection. Hope it resonates. Regular format returns next week.

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A Reflection From A Moment of Curiosity

The other night, my kindergartner and I were watching a short video about sleep when she asked, “What’s REM?”

A simple, honest question, the kind of moment that reminds me how much kids are always learning, even when we least expect it.

We turned to a well-known AI powered App to get a kid-friendly explanation. The app responded quickly, offering an answer about REM sleep. But just as I was ready to continue the conversation with my child, the app chimed in with:

👉“Would you like to learn about dreams?” 👉”I can also tell you about sleep cycles.”

I paused.

A Pattern That Feels Familiar

If you’ve used ChatGPT, Alexa, or any AI-powered tool lately, you might recognize this pattern: After each question, there’s often a next prompt. Another button to click. Another “shortcut” to the “next” idea.

At first, it seems helpful, like having a smart guide. But it made me wonder:

Is this technology truly nurturing my child’s curiosity, or is it quietly teaching dependence?

Are kids being inspired to ask more of their own questions or just learning to follow the AI’s lead?

What the Research Says

There’s real reason to be concerned. A growing body of research suggests that open-ended inquiry, the kind that starts with a child’s own curiosity and branches outward, is essential to foster deeper learning and creativity, while close-ended prompts can limit exploration and critical thinking.1

A recent article in Nature Human Behaviour highlights that children’s learning thrives when they are encouraged to generate their own questions and pursue their own lines of inquiry, rather than simply consuming pre-packaged answers.2

On the other hand, most consumer-facing AI tools today are designed to keep kids engaged and efficient, sometimes at the expense of genuine curiosity. They tend to:

• present closed-ended questions,

• offer predefined suggestions,

• and often imply that the AI “knows best.”

These design choices may be subtle but over time, they shape how our kids think, what they expect from the technology, and even how they see their role in a conversation.

From Wonder to Passive Consumption?

When a child is still learning how to learn, these design patterns matter. If the AI always seems to “know best”, we risk raising kids who look for the next prompt instead of asking their own follow-up questions.

Instead of exploring and forming their own questions, they easily settle and wait for the next suggestion.

This isn’t just about a distraction or screen time. It is about agency. How our kids learn to think.

My Wishlist: AI That Coaches Curiosity

AI can open doors, but true understanding often comes from lingering with a question, exploring different perspectives, and sometimes even sitting with uncertainty.

So, what if AI could do more than just answer questions or suggest the next click?

As a Parent, here’s what I wish existed more widely in AI products for kids:

✅Open-Ended Questions:

Imagine an AI that responds to a child’s query not just with an answer, but with another open question that invites thinking: “What do you think?” or “How would you explain this to a friend?”

✅Source Awareness & Reflection:

AI could help kids analyze sources: “Want to know where this information is from? Would you like to explore other potential answers?”

✅Building Agency:

The best AI could perhaps act more like a coach, helping kids form their own ideas and feel in control of their learning. Not just following instructions or down the path of predefined menu.

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What We (Parents) Can Do Now

Until AI catches up with these ideals, I’ve started trying a framework with my kids to keep us grounded when we use AI together. I call it THINK:

• T – Take Time Before Believing:

  Pause and check if the AI’s answer is accurate. Don’t trust everything right away.

• H – How Does It Work?

  Talk about how AI generates answers. Think about whether it might be biased or missing information.

• I – Intention:

  Ask yourself why you’re using this AI tool right now. Are you learning, creating, or just passing time?

• N – Never Share Secrets:

  Keep personal info private. Don’t tell AI your secrets, passwords, or private details.

• K – Keep Your Brain in Charge

  Remind your kids. You’re the one in charge, not AI. Use your own judgment and talk to a trusted adult if unsure.

Learn more about the THINK framework

Let’s Raise Curious Kids, Not Just Compliant Ones

I’m not anti-AI. I use it as a tool at work and think it has potential when developed and used properly. But, I also believe parents should have a say on how our kids experience this new wave of technology.

Let’s advocate for technology that doesn’t aim to hook kids but instead help them grow. A tool designed to spark curiosity, foster independence, and encourage critical thinking.

Our kids deserve technology that makes them more curious, not just more compliant.

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I’d love to hear your thoughts.

• 💡Have you noticed similar patterns in your child’s interactions with AI?

• 💡How do you keep curiosity alive in your family?

Reply and I may feature your ideas in a future edition!

Thanks again for reading. AI moves fast, so do kids. Let’s keep up together.

Dhani

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Minggu lalu, saya dengan asyik mengutak-ngutik tabel spreadsheet untuk membandingkan opsi perkemahan di masa libur sekolah (ada topik STEM, seni, alam, olah raga, dll). Beberapa diantaranya bahkan direkomendasikan oleh orang tua lain di kelas anak saya.

Suami saya kemudian bertanya, “Apakah kita benar harus mendaftarkan dia ke semua kegiatan ini? Apakah kita tidak bisa beristirahat sejenak?”

Saya merasa sangat bersalah. “Tapi bagaimana kalau dia tidak ikutan? Semua anak lain kan ikut program perkemahan...”

Dia tersenyum dan berkata, “Bukan tugas kita untuk menghibur anak kita setiap saat. Banyak kok yang bisa dia lakukan. Mungkin gak apa-apa kalau dia sedikit bosan.”

Saat itu saya langsung tersadar:

Bagaimana kalau kita biarkan saja ya dia bosan? Alih-alih merencanakan kegiatannya setiap detik, kita malah kasih dia ruang untuk bisa bebas dan berimajinasi di liburan sekolah ini?

🤖 Konsep AI Minggu Ini: GenAI (Generative AI)

Apa sih maksudnya: AI Generatif (GenAI) memprediksi sesuatu, seperti kata berikutnya dalam sebuah kalimat atau bagian berikutnya dari sebuah gambar, berdasarkan pola yang dipelajari dari sejumlah data yang dia bisa akses. AI ini tidak berpikir atau punya perasaan seperti manusia; ia menggunakan matematika dan probabilitas untuk menyusun ulang apa yang ia sudah lihat.

Apa artinya untuk orang tua: GenAI bisa meringankan beban mental kita dengan mengatur jadwal atau menyarankan ide menu makan. Tapi sebaiknya anak-anak tidak menggunakan GenAI tanpa pengawasan atau tanpa bimbingan orang tua atau guru. Ini adalah saat yang tepat bagi orang tua dan anak-anak untuk belajar AI bersama-sama. Simak yuk panduan BICARA (TALK) & BERPIKIR (THINK) tentang AI untuk memandu percakapan Anda dengan Anak:

TALK & THINK Article | TALK About AI Video | THINK About AI Video

🧒Bagaimana cara menjelaskan GenAI ke anak-anak kita

• Untuk anak umur 5-10 tahun:

  GenAI itu seperti asisten cerdas yang bisa mengakses banyak gambar dan kata-kata. Nah, ketika kamu memberikan ide atau instruksi, genAI akan memadukan berbagai gambar dan kata-kata tersebut untuk membuat sesuatu yang baru, seperti bagaimana kamu bisa merakit benteng atau istana dari mainan blok lego kamu. Tapi, kamu tetap perlu memberi genAI petunjuk atau arahan tentang apa yang kamu mau buat.

• Untuk anak umur 10+ tahun:

  GenAI belajar dengan mempelajari banyak tulisan, gambar, dan video. Kemudian, ketika kamu menanyakan sesuatu, ia akan menggunakan pola yang dipelajarinya untuk menebak apa yang akan terjadi selanjutnya. AI ini pandai mengombinasikan ide dan meniru pola, tetapi ia sebenarnya tidak memahami maknanya seperti halnya manusia. Semacam autocomplete yang sangat pintar.

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💡 Reflective Bytes: Sejak Kapan Sih Rasa Bosan Jadi Sangat Susah Ditolerir?

Dengan AI yang sekarang siap menghibur kita setiap saat, apakah kita tidak lagi bisa mentoleransi rasa bosan? Sejak kapan ya beberapa menit keheningan jadi terasa sangat tidak nyaman bagi saya dan anak-anak saya?

Kita hidup di dunia di mana teknologi, terutama AI, mengetahui apa yang kita suka dan mengisi setiap momen hening dengan swipe, scroll, atau prompt. Bahkan sedikit rasa “gak ada yang bisa dilakukan nih” pun terasa amat mengganggu.

Tapi, justru ini yang saya pelajari: ketidaknyamanan dan kebosanan inilah yang justru memicu kreativitas, ketangguhan, dan self discovery. Hal yang tidak dapat digantikan oleh sebuah algoritme.1

Dulu saya pikir rasa bosan adalah sesuatu yang harus ditangani secepatnya. Sebuah ruang kosong yang harus diisi. Namun penelitian justru menunjukkan bahwa kebosanan sebenarnya merupakan landasan yang kuat untuk kreativitas, pemecahan masalah, dan pertumbuhan emosional.23

Ketika anak-anak merasa bosan, otak mereka mendapatkan kebebasan untuk mengeksplorasi, berkreasi, dan menghubungkan ide-ide dengan cara yang tidak bisa dilakukan oleh AI.4 Penelitian juga menunjukkan bahwa waktu yang tidak terstruktur malah mendukung pengaturan diri, kemandirian, dan kesehatan mental yang lebih baik.5

Reflective Questions:

• Kapan terakhir anak Anda benar-benar bosan? Apa yang akhirnya mereka lakukan?

• Bagaimana perasaan Anda saat merasa “gak ada yang bisa dilakukan” oleh Anda atau anak-anak Anda?

• Di dunia yang penuh dengan jawaban instan dan stimulasi tanpa henti, apa yang akan kita temukan ketika kita membiarkan diri kita bosan lebih lama di musim panas ini?

🤔 THINK framework spotlight: H untuk How Does it Work

Memahami cara kerja AI bisa membantu anak-anak untuk membangun kebiasaan teknologi yang sehat. Jawaban AI itu berasal dari pola data dalam pelatihannya, yang kadang datanya bisa terbatas ataupun bias. Bayangkan AI seperti robot pustakawan dengan perpustakaan yang terbatas. AI tidak bisa mengetahui segalanya dan kadang malah membuat kesalahan atau mengabaikan beberapa informasi. Jadi penting untuk menjelaskan “keajaiban“ dibalik AI agar anak-anak kita bisa percaya diri untuk mengambil kendali dan tidak begitu saja percaya saran atau jawaban dari AI.

🗂️ Ide Pembuka Percakapan Tentang AI

• Usia 5-7 tahun:

  ”Bayangkan AI itu sebagai robot pustakawan. Jadi dia hanya bisa menjawab pertanyaan kamu dengan menggunakan buku-buku yang ada di perpustakaannya. Kalau kamu bertanya tentang sesuatu yang gak ada di dalam bukunya, ia mungkin tidak tahu jawabannya atau bahkan bisa mengarang responsnya sendiri! Karena itu, ada baiknya kamu selalu memeriksa lagi apakah jawabannya masuk akal, seperti halnya kalau kamu memeriksa ulang informasi dari sebuah buku atau teman.”

• Usia 8-12 tahun:

  “Coba bayangkan AI sebagai pustakawan super cepat dengan perpustakaan yang sangat besar, tapi dia cuman punya buku-buku yang ada saat perpustakaannya dibangun. Jadi, ketika kamu mengajukan pertanyaan, AI akan mencari pola dan informasi dari perpustakaan tersebut untuk memberikan jawaban. Tapi, kalau buku-buku tersebut tidak punya semua fakta yang relevan atau justru ada kesalahan, jawaban AI jadi bisa salah atau bias. Itulah kenapa penting untuk kamu bertanya, ‘Dari mana sih jawaban ini berasal?’ Dan tidak langsung percaya begitu saja.”

• Usia 13+ tahun:

  ”Berbagai model AI itu dilatih dengan koleksi teks yang sangan banyak, seperti memiliki akses ke perpustakaan digital raksasa. Saat kamu mengajukan pertanyaan, AI mencari pola dan asosiasi informasi dalam hal yang dia “baca” di perpustakaannya untuk memprediksi jawaban yang terbaik. Namun, jika perspektif tertentu, atau fakta dan informasi terkini tidak ada dalam data pelatihannya, AI tidak dapat memasukkannya ke dalam jawabannya. Itulah mengapa penting untuk kami berpikir kritis terhadap jawaban AI. Informasinya bisa saja hanya mencakup “buku-buku” dari negara tertentu dan tidak menggunakan informasi dari konteks Indonesia. Sama halnya ketika kamu sedang meneliti di perpustakaan dengan buku-buku yang terbatas atau ketinggalan jaman.”

🌱 A Sneak Peek: Tantangan Bosan Yuk is coming soon!

Di liburan sekolah ini, saya akan mencoba sesuatu yang baru dalam keluarga kami! Dan saya ingin kalian bisa ikut bergabung.

Daripada mengisi setiap hari anak saya penuh dengan kegiatan, bagaimana kalau saya justru memberikan izin ke anak saya (dan juga saya sendiri) untuk merasa bosan? Bagaimana kalau kita tidak lagi melihat kebosanan sebagai masalah yang harus diatasi, tapi justru sebagai pemicu kreativitas, kemandirian, dan self-discovery?

Bulan depan, saya akan berbagi cara untuk Anda bisa ikutan Tatangan Bosan Yuk!

Ini sederhana dan praktis untuk semua keluarga, apa pun rencana liburan sekolah Anda! Yang dibutuhkan cuman sedikit waktu luang dan open mind. Stay tuned!

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💪 Parent-Powered AI Digest

Buku Baru: The AI Con by Emily Bender and Alex Hanna & Empire of AI by Karen Hao

• Dua buku baru ini membedah AI hype dan mengeksplorasi dampak nyata, etika, dan peran social AI.

• Apa artinya bagi orang tua: Bagi saya, kedua buku ini adalah bacaan yang menyegarkan dari headlines AI yang biasanya menggembar-gemborkan atau menakut-nakuti pembaca. Paparannya terasa jujur dan mudah di akses, khususnya tentang batasan, risiko, dan pengaruh AI terhadap masa depan anak-anak kita.

• Kenapa ini penting: Kedua buku ini berpendapat bahwa masa depan AI tidak boleh diputuskan oleh Silicon Valley saja. Sebagai orang tua, kita berhak mendapatkan tempat duduk di meja perundingan atau setidaknya didengar oleh mereka yang di sana. Suara kita sebagai orang tua itu penting dalam membentuk bagaimana AI berdampak pada anak-anak dan komunitas kita.

MIT Technology Review: Jejak Energi AI yang Melonjak Tinggi

• Laporan MIT baru-baru ini mengungkapkan bahwa penggunaan energi AI berkembang pesat, dengan pusat data yang kini menyumbang hingga 4,4% dari total listrik AS dan diproyeksikan mencapai 12% pada tahun 2028. Satu miliar permintaan ChatGPT per hari sama dengan energi yang cukup untuk menyalakan lebih dari 10.000 rumah di Amerika Serikat selama satu tahun.

• Apa artinya bagi orang tua: Pertumbuhan AI itu juga merupakan masalah lingkungan. GenAI ini mungkin terasa “gratis” bagi kita tetapi energi di baliknya tidak. Ketika AI menjadi bagian dari kehidupan sehari-hari kita, penting untuk mengenali harga sebenarnya yang mungkin akan ditanggung oleh keluarga dan anak kita.

🔑 Intinya

Kebosanan itu bukan masalah yang harus diatasi. Bahkan, kebosanan bisa menjadi hadiah. Di dunia dengan penuh jawaban instan dan stimulasi dari AI, yuk kita lindungi momen-momen tenang yang bisa menumbuhkan kreativitas dan perkembangan anak.

Mari ingat bahwa masa depan AI juga harus perlu ditentukan oleh suara kita, para orang tua, bukan hanya suara dari perusahaan-perusahaan teknologi raksasa.

Terima kasih ya sudah menjadi bagian dari perjalanan parenting di era AI ini.

Dhani

P.S. Musim panas akan mulai tanggal 20 Juni nih! Aku akan sharing cara ikutan Tantangan Bosan Yuk di bulan depan, tepat mulainya liburan sekolah!

A Conversation That Changed My Summer Plans

Last week, I was deep in a spreadsheet comparing summer camps (STEM, art, nature, sports, and more). Some were even recommended by other parents in my kid’s class.

My husband looked up and asked, “Do we really have to sign her up for all this? Can’t we just take a break?”

I felt a pang of guilt. “But what if she’s missing out? All the other kids are doing these camps…”

He smiled and said, “It’s not our job to entertain her all the time. She has plenty to do. Maybe it’s okay if she’s a little bored.”

That moment clicked for me:

What if we just let her be bored? What if, instead of planning every minute, we gave her the space to own her summer and her imagination?

🤖 AI Concept of the Week: GenAI

What it is: Generative AI predicts what comes next, like the next word in a sentence or the next part of an image, based on patterns learned from vast amounts of data. It doesn’t think or feel; it uses math and probability to remix what it’s seen.

What it means for parents: GenAI can ease our mental load by organizing schedules or suggesting meal ideas. But unsupervised or unguided use by kids isn’t recommended yet. This is a great time for parents and kids to learn about AI together. Check out our TALK & THINK about AI framework to guide your conversation:

TALK & THINK Article | TALK About AI Video | THINK About AI Video

🧒How we can explain GenAI to our kids

• For young kids (5-10 years):

  Generative AI is like a smart helper that looks at many pictures and words. Then, when you give it an idea, it mixes pieces together to make something new, kind of like when you use building blocks to create a new castle. But it still needs you to tell it what to build.

• For older kids (10+ years):

  Generative AI learns by studying tons of writing, images, and videos. Then, when you ask it something, it uses patterns it learned to guess what should come next. It’s good at combining ideas and copying styles but it doesn’t actually understand the meaning like people do. It’s kind of like a really smart autocomplete.

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💡 Reflective Bytes: When Did Boredom Become So Unbearable?

With AI ready to entertain us at every turn, are we losing our tolerance for boredom? When did even a few minutes of stillness start to feel so uncomfortable, for me and for my kids?

We live in a world where technology, especially AI, knows our preferences and fills every quiet moment with a swipe, a scroll, or a prompt. Even a sliver of “nothing to do” can feel unsettling.

But here’s what I’ve learned: this discomfort, boredom, is exactly what sparks creativity, resilience, and self-discovery. Things no algorithm can replace.1

I used to think boredom was something to fix quickly. An empty space to fill. But research shows boredom is actually a powerful launchpad for creativity, problem-solving, and emotional growth.23

When kids experience boredom, their brains get the freedom to wander, invent, and connect ideas in ways AI simply can’t.4 Studies also show that unstructured time supports self-regulation, independence, and better mental health.5

Reflective Questions:

• When was the last time your child was truly bored? What did they do next?

• How do you feel when there’s “nothing to do” for you or your kids?

• In a world of instant answers and constant stimulation, what might we discover if we let it boredom linger a little longer this summer?

🤔 THINK framework spotlight: H for How Does it Work

Understanding how AI works helps kids build healthy tech habits. AI answers come from patterns in data it was trained on, which can be limited or biased, like a robot librarian with a limited library. It cannot know everything and sometimes makes mistakes or leaves out information. It’s important to elucidate the magic behind AI so kids can feel in control and not blindly trust AI’s suggestions.

🗂️ 5 Minutes Conversation Starter

• Age 5-7:

  ”Imagine AI is like a robot librarian. It can only answer questions using the books it has in its library. If you ask about something that isn’t in any of its books, it might not know the answer or could even make something up! That’s why it’s good to check if the answer makes sense, just like you’d double-check a book.”

• Age 8-12:

  “Think of AI as a super-fast librarian with a huge library, but it only has the books it was given when it was built. When you ask a question, AI searches its library for patterns and information to give you an answer. But if those books are missing facts or have mistakes, the AI’s answer might be wrong or biased. That’s why it’s important to ask: ‘Where did this answer come from?’ and not trust it blindly.”

• Age 13+:

  ”AI models are trained on massive collections of text, kind of like having access to a digital library. When you ask a question, AI looks for patterns in what it’s “read” to predict the best answers. But if certain perspective, facts, or up-to-date information aren’t in its training data, it can’t include them in its response. That’s why it’s important to think critically about AI’s answers. Just like you would too, if you were researching in a library with limited or outdated books.”

🌱 A Sneak Peek: The Boredom Challenge Is Coming!

This summer, I’m trying something new in our family! And I’d love for you to join us.

What if, instead of filling every day with camps and activities, we gave our kids (and ourselves) permission to be bored? What if we saw boredom not as a problem to fix, but as a spark for creativity, independence, and self-discovery?

Next month, I’ll share exactly how you can join our Boredom Challenge!

It’s simple and practical for any family, no matter your summer plans. All you need is a little space in your day and an open mind. Stay tuned!

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💪 Parent-Powered AI Digest

New Books: The AI Con by Emily Bender and Alex Hanna & Empire of AI by Karen Hao

• Two new books that cut through AI hype and explore its real impacts, ethics, and societal role.

• What it means for parents: I found these reads to be a refreshing take from the typical AI headlines that either hype up or fearmonger AI. They’re honest & accessible reads about AI’s limits, risks, and influence on our children’s future.

• Why it matters: Both books argue that the future of AI shouldn’t be decided by Silicon Valley alone. As parents, we deserve a seat at the table or at least to be heard by those at the table. Our voices matter in shaping how AI impacts our kids and communities.

MIT Technology Review: AI’s Soaring Energy Footprint

• A recent MIT report reveals AI’s energy use is growing fast, with data centers now accounting for up to 4.4% of total U.S. electricity and projected to reach 12% by 2028. Just one billion ChatGPT queries a day equals enough energy to power over 10,000 US homes for a year.

• What it means for parents: The growth of AI is also an environmental issue. These tools may feel “free” but the energy behind them isn’t. As AI becomes part of daily life, it’s important to recognize the true costs that our families and kids may ultimately bear.

KOSA 2.0 (Kids Online Safety Act) Reintroduced in Congress

• The revised bill would require online platforms to limit addictive features, like infinite scrolling and autoplay, set stronger privacy defaults for minors, and give parents better tools to manage our child’s online experience. Another key update is the legal “duty of care,” meaning tech companies must actively prevent harms to kids, including exposure to anxiety, eating disorders, and bullying.

• What it means for parents: If passed, this would shift more responsibility onto tech companies & give us, families, more control over our child’s digital lives! Stay informed and reach out to your representatives; policy decisions about tech and kids’ safety need real family voices, not just industry input.

🔑 Bottom Line

Boredom isn’t a problem to fix. Often, it’s a gift. In a world of instant answers and AI-powered stimulation, let’s protect the quiet moments that spark true creativity and growth.

And let’s remember that the future of AI should include our voices, not just those of tech giants.

Thanks for being part of this journey through the AI era of parenting.

Dhani

P.S. Summer officially starts June 20! I’ll share details on how to join our Boredom Challenge in the next month. Just in time for summer break.

“Can I have one more minute on my tablet, please?”, asked my daughter.

“No”, I replied immediately.

“But I am on my learning app!”, she protested.

Sounds familiar?

A lot of us parents, experience this balancing act daily: when to say yes, when to say no, and how to decide what counts as “good” screen time. I can’t help but think about the “tug of war” between parental control and nurturing my child’s digital agency.

How do we protect our children while helping them grow into confident users, (not just consumers), of technology?

As parents, we all strive to keep our kids safe and also raise them to be thinkers. Someone who can question, reflect, and make good choices for themselves.

This week, I want to explore how to balance safety with connection, why empowering our kids with critical thinking matters, and introduce guided agency as a potential path.

🤖 AI Concept of the Week: Adaptive Parental Controls

• What it is: Instead of a physical effort to turn off or take away a tech device, parental controls setting allow parents to set timer of usage or block certain content on an app or device. Now Adaptive Parental controls take that ability into the next level. They adapt these settings based on a child’s age, maturity, and behavior patterns, creating a personalized guidance and real-time feedback. So, no more manually changing every setup. Parents supposedly can set boundaries that automatically evolve with the child, supporting gradual independence.

• Why it matters for parents: While the tools can be powerful, they work best when paired with active parental involvement and not left on autopilot. These limits or controls alone cannot teach critical thinking or self regulations. It should be treated as a supporting tool and not replacement to parenting and the connection and conversation that comes with it.

💡 Reflective Bytes: Digital Dependency vs Digital Agency?

In our conversation, parental control often takes center stage. But what if the deeper goal isn’t just control, rather, cultivating true digital agency?

How do we shift from managing our children’s screen time to empowering them to understand when to stop or what’s worth their time?

Here’s what the researches say

• Parental controls reduce exposure to online risks and ease parental stress,1 but overly strict, unilateral restrictions can harm trust and increase conflict.2

• Children respond BETTER to active mediation strategies that involve open conversations, shared decision-making, and co-use of media than to authoritarian monitoring.345

• Research suggests the healthiest digital habits develop when parents combine thoughtful boundaries with active engagement and respect for their child’s growing capabilities.678

Questions to consider:

• Are my current rules protecting my child while allowing them to learn and practice digital skills?

• How can I involve my child in decisions about their online life to build trust and agency?

• Am I using controls as a tool for safety and learning, or as a substitute for ongoing dialogue?

• What does “guided agency” look like in our family-balancing boundaries with opportunities to grow and make choices?

There are no perfect answers…

While in most cases stronger parental control is needed, I would like to invite us to pause and rethink our approach. Moving beyond managing screen time and focus on mentoring our kids to be responsible digital citizens.

I am not promoting unsupervised screen time but rather advocating the idea of sharing our values and teaching kids what’s safe, smart, and meaningful tech use looks like.

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🤔 THINK framework spotlight: T for Take Time Before Believing

I previously shared about THINK: a kid-friendly framework to think critically about AI outputs here.

Building on our reflection on balancing parental control and growing need of agency, a key step we can start doing is teaching our kids to pause and critically evaluate information they encounter online, especially from AI sources. Encourage them to double-check the facts with other sources that they have, e.g. books, trusted websites, or a knowledgeable adult. The goal is to help kids learn the skills to question, reflect, and decide for themselves.

At the current point of this writing, (and potentially due the inherent nature of the unregulated online information), genAI can be and often is (unintentionally) wrong. Encouraging kids to “Take Time Before Believing” encourages metacognition (read: thinking about thinking) and self-regulation. In other words, promoting critical thinking and protecting them from misinformation.

🗂️ 5 Minutes Conversation Starter

• Age 5-8:

  • After an AI tool generates content, respond with “That’s cool! How do you know it’s true?”

  • Or ask, “Who do you think made that story or picture or information? Let’s find the sources.”

• Age 9-12:

  • During homework using AI, ask them, “That’s interesting. Where did you find that information?”

  • After they respond, follow up with, “”Who do you think created it? How else can we cross-check the information?“

• Age 13+:

  • As they complete a homework using an AI assistant, “I am curious. What made you believe that is accurate?”

  • After hearing their opinion, follow up with, “Do you think it might be missing some information or considered all possible answers?“ or “How might AI influence what you believe is true?”

💪 Parent-Powered AI Digest

Real Laws. Real Risks. Real Conversations.

The Take It Down Act becomes law, protecting kids from AI-generated explicit images

• Signed this week, the Take It Down Act is the first federal law making it a crime to create, share, or threaten to share nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes. Online platforms must now remove such images within 48 hours of a victim’s request, with enforcement by the FTC.

• What it means for parents: This law gives families a new tool to fight image-based abuse and deepfake exploitation, but it also highlights the importance of teaching kids about privacy, consent, and the risks of sharing images online. Let’s use this moment to start a conversation about digital safety and why critical thinking and asking for help matters if something feels wrong.

Miami schools launch the largest AI chatbot rollout for students in the U.S.

• Miami-Dade County Public Schools, America’s third-largest district, is now providing Google Gemini chatbots to over 105,000 high school students. After previously banning AI chatbots due to concerns about cheating and misinformation, the district is now training more than 1,000 teachers and encouraging students to use AI for research, writing, and critical analysis.

• What it means for parents: This may indicate a sentiment shift from AI as a homework shortcut to AI as a classroom tool. As parents, we need to ask our schools to share privacy policies and communicate regularly on the application of any AI tools. Consider leveraging our THINK framework to support our children to think critically about how they use AI in school.

AI Tools Flood Classrooms; Experts Emphasize Critical Thinking and Ethics

• A new study from the University of South Florida highlights the rapid adoption of AI tools in Pre-K-12 classrooms, with over 1.25 million teachers now using platforms like TeacherServer for lesson planning and assessments. However, researchers and educators stress the importance of ethical integration and critical thinking, especially as many teachers remain cautious due to data privacy concerns and lack of formal training. The initiative is part of a broader movement to ensure that as AI becomes a classroom staple, students learn not just how to use these tools, but how to question, verify and use them responsibly.

• What it means for parents: As AI tools become part of your child’s daily learning, it’s more important than ever to “Take Time Before Believing” the answers AI provided. Our THINK framework encourages kids to pause, ask questions, check sources, consider their privacy and reflect on whether an AI tool is helping them learn or just making things easier.

🔑 Bottom Line

Parental control is still a key foundation to our children’s safety. We must not forget that true empowerment comes from genuine connection and conversation.

AI, like any other technology, has its pros and cons, which we yet fully understand. I believe deeply on the importance of raising kids to be confident, capable and curious digital citizens. More importantly empowering fellow parents with the tools to do that.

Let’s TALK. Let’s THINK. Let’s teach our kids to pause, question and choose safely and smartly. One prompt at a time.

Thanks again, for being part of this journey through the AI era of parenting.

Dhani

How do we maintain genuine human connections?

This week, we’re exploring the rise of AI companions and why tuning in to our children’s digital experience (and really being present) matters more than ever. While tech races ahead, our capacity for meaningful connection remains one of our most powerful parenting tools.

🤖AI Concept of the Week: AI Companion

What are they? It’s a chatbot designed to chat and keep kids company like a digital friend. Tools, like Meta AI companion, Character.AI’s educational characters and Replika’s friendship bots, all adapt to user preferences over time.

• Why it matters: While it may sound fun, experts warn they can:

  • Generate inappropriate content despite safety filters

  • Encourage emotional dependency that replaces real human connections.

  • Utilize the same engagement algorithms similar to those behind addictive social media features

  • Potentially impact to children’s developing social emotional skills.

• What parents can do: If your child is curious, talk openly about the differences between real friends and AI chatbots. Explain that these chatbots are sophisticated computer programs designed to mimic conversations but are not genuine friends with real emotions or experience. For now, I’d follow many experts’ advice of keeping AI companion apps OFF kids’ devices.

📩 Want to learn about another AI term? Reply and let us know!

💡Reflective Bytes

In the global race of more, faster and better AI, we rarely pause to ask: What is better? And better for whom?

Today’s tech headlines celebrates speed and profit, but what if we measure AI’s success by how it enriches our lives and relationships?

The sweet spot lies in creating learning spaces where kids spend meaningful time AWAY from screens to think deeply and connect with others. Yet, also building strong skills to utilize technology effectively and thoughtfully when needed.

Question for you: What does “better” mean for your family’s digital life?

📩Share your thoughts with us!

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🗣️TALK Framework Spotlight: T = Tune In

Our previous newsletter introduced the complete TALK about AI framework. Check it out here.

Why “Tuning In” Matters

Studies show that increased screen time is linked to fewer parent-child conversations and reduced ability for kids to pick up on nonverbal cues & diminished social skills. 1 2

Being present and approachable helps your child feel safe sharing their digital experience. This is especially important when they stumble on content that’s not age-appropriate, even with safety filters on.

Our role as parents is to be the safe space children can go to when trouble arise.

✅Practical Ways to Tune In

• Set a regular “digital check-in” time (e.g. after dinner or weekend breakfast) as a relaxed, judgment free space for your child to share what they are doing online.

• Watch or play together with your kids and observe their reactions. Ask them to teach you how their game or app works!

• Notice nonverbal cues: Are they excited, withdrawn, or upset after screen time? Use these cues to gently start a conversation.

• Let your child lead you through their favorite app or game. This shows genuine interest and gives them ownership over the conversation.

Remember: If troubling behavior or content appears, we need to calmly explain what it is and its impact.

📝5-Minute Conversation Starters

• Age 5-7:

  • Ask: “Show me your favorite game/app. What do you like about it?”

  • Tip: Watch together and let them lead.

• Age 8-12:

  • Ask: “What's something new you learn this week?”

  • Tip: Ask follow-ups and show interest.

• Age 13+:

  • Ask: “Have you seen anything online that made you think differently about something?”

  • Tip: Listen without judgement.

💪Parent-Powered AI Digest

• US House Bill Seeks Decade-Long Freeze on State AI Laws

  Headline: A proposed US House budget bill would block states from making any new AI rules for the next 10 years, leaving AI regulations mostly to the federal government.

  • What it means for parents: This could slow down protections around kids’ privacy & safety with AI, so stay alert and advocate for responsible AI use in your local community, school, and family.

• CSforALL Open Letter calls for mandatory Comp Science & AI ed for K-12

  Headline: Hundreds of business leaders urge Congress to make computer science and AI education mandatory for all K-12 students.

  • What it means for parents: If adopted, your child could get early access to AI & coding skills in school. While I certainly believe in digital literacy, it’s important to ask how these programs are actually going to impact teaching in classrooms, implement data protection, and consider children’s various learning interest.

• Meta’s AI Under Microscope Over Child Safety Concerns

  Headline: Brazil Consumer Agency Demands Action on Child Abuse AI Content and WSJ Found Meta’s AI Chatbots Engage in Sexual Conversation with Minors

  • What it means for parents: These findings show the importance of monitoring your child’s AI interactions and maintaining open communication about online experiences.

🔑Bottom Line

We believe that families are at the heart of preparing kids for a world shaped by technology. Where raising future-ready kids means more than just mastering new tools. It’s about nurturing curiosity, resilience, and strong relationships at home.

You don’t need to be a tech expert. Start with “Tuning In”, being curious and open. That’s the best way to help your child grow into a thoughtful digital citizen.

Our newsletter is here to help you find that balance: making space for unplugged moments, thoughtful conversations, and genuine connection. All the while building the confidence to explore and use AI/technology purposefully, together.

Thank you for being part of this journey with aiPTO. Your everyday choices, questions, and conversations truly shape the next generation.

Let’s navigate parenting in the AI era. One prompt at a time.

Dhani

AI is now everywhere. They are in homework apps to social media feeds. As parents, it’s easy to feel left behind. Especially as AI is evolving at exponential rate. But the best way to support our kids isn’t by banning technology altogether but by guiding them through it together.

That is why I created TALK and THINK about AI. So, other parents like me don’t have to feel overwhelmed and start taking control of how our kids experience AI.

Let’s TALK: A Parent’s Guide to Meaningful AI Conversations

Talking about a topic like AI to your kids can be daunting. But, research shows that when parents engage openly about technology, kids are more likely to come to them with questions or concerns. Open dialogue builds trust, reduces anxiety, and helps kids develop healthy digital habits.

Our TALK framework gives you a simple, memorable way to do this, even if you’re not a tech expert. Let’s break it down.

T – Tune In

Listen actively and show genuine interest in your child’s experiences with AI

• Why it matters:

  When kids feel heard they’re more likely to share what they are seeing and feeling, especially as AI becomes embedded into daily life. Building emotional connection is crucial as tech shifts some family interactions from face-to-face to device driven.

• How to do it:

  Set aside regular, distraction-free time to talk about your child’s digital life. (For me, Sunday mornings are our “experiment” time. Recently, my daughter wanted to make her own game. We started this today and I’ll share more on how it’s progressing.)

• Try This Today:

  Ask, “What’s the most interesting or weird AI thing you saw this week?” And just listen without interrupting. Genuinely show enthusiasm.

A – Ask with Curiosity

Use open-ended questions to spark discussion and reflection.

• Why it matters:

  Kids build critical thinking and digital literacy when we invite them to explain and reflect. Not a Yes or No question.

• How to do it:

  Instead of “Did you like that app?”, ask, “What did you notice about how it worked?” (I’ll cover specific questions you can ask to your kids, tailored to different age groups next week)

• Try This Today:

  After your child asked a question to Siri or Google, ask: “How do you think it decides what to say?”

L – Learn Together

Explore AI topics as a team and model lifelong learning.

• Why it matters:

  When you and kids learn together, it models a growth mindset and reduces the authority gap, making children more willing to ask questions and seek guidance.

• How to do it:

  Be comfortable to admit when you don’t know something about AI and look up answers together. Use reliable sources and talk about what you find. (I’ll share my go-to resources in an upcoming newsletter.)

• Try This Today:

  Ask your child, “Have you noticed how YouTube or Spotify seems to know what you like?” Then explore together how these platforms use AI to recommendation videos and music!

K – Keep it Kind and Open

Maintain respect, empathy, and openness-even if you disagree.

• Why it matters:

  Kids are more likely to open up if they feel free from judgement, especially when something goes wrong. It will encourage children to share concerns or mistakes without fear, helping us navigate challenges together as a family.

• How to do it:

  Respond calmly, validate their feelings, and remind them there’s no shame in asking questions. This is a new territory. You are among the first to parent alongside AI.

• Try This Today:

  If your child shares something uncomfortable (AI-related), listen first. Say, “Thanks for telling me. That’s important. Let’s figure it out together.”

Now, that you’ve started to TALK about AI, let’s help your child THINK critically about AI.

AI is fun, fast, and often feels magical. Kids need to learn how to use it with care, guided by you as parents. That’s where the THINK framework comes in: a practical guide that help your child pause, reflect, stay safe, and in control while using tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or YouTube’s AI recommendations.

THINK about AI: A Kid-Friendly Guide for Using AI Safely & Smartly.

T – Take Time Before Believing

Pause and double-check what AI tells you.

• Why it matters:
  AI can sound confident, even when it’s wrong. It is tempting to just “copy and paste” their answer right away. Teaching kids to pause before accepting answers helps them avoid mistakes, misinformation, and even made-up “facts.” Fact-checking is a foundational digital literacy skill.

• How to do it:
  Encourage your child to say, “Let me check that!” before repeating something they got from AI. Grab a book, use a trusted website, or ask you or a teacher to confirm.

• Try This Today:

  Next time your child asks Meta or grok a question, ask back: “Where else could we check that answer?”

H – How Does It Work?

Understand how AI come up with its answer.

• Why it matters:
  Understanding that AI can be biased or has its limitation helps kids stay curious instead of passive. Encourage them to learn about the tech behind it. It’s okay and smart to question the tech!

• How to do it:
  Model curiosity by asking, “Do you think it used all the facts?” or “What might it be missing?” This keeps their critical thinking sharp.

• Try This Today:

  After receiving an answer from AI, you can say: “Hmm… do you think a person would have answered that differently?”

I – Intention

Ask yourself: Why am I using AI right now?

• Why it matters:

  Kids who think about their purpose (whether it’s learning, creating, or just playing) use technology more mindfully and effectively. This helps avoid the negative behavior we have already witnessed through social media. What was meant as a place for human connection becomes a distraction trap for your mind.

• How to do it:
  Teach them to pause and ask, “Am I trying to learn, create, or just kill time?” This simple reflection can build better digital habits. This can be done before, during, or even after engaging with AI.

• Try This Today:
  Before your child opens a chatbot or app, ask: “What do you want to get out of this?”

N – Never Share Secrets

Keep personal info private.

• Why it matters:

  Even friendly AI bots aren’t safe places for personal info. Kids need to know: if you wouldn’t say it to a stranger, don’t say it to AI.

• How to do it:

  Remind them: “Your name, address, school, that’s all private.” If they’re ever unsure, tell them to check with you first.

• Try This Today:

  Play a quick game: “Secret or Share?” Give examples of information, like name or location. Let them try to decide if it’s safe to share online and then debrief.

K – Keep Your Brain in Charge

You decide, not AI.

• Why it matters:
  AI can be helpful but it is just a tool and should NOT do all the work. We need to remind our kids that their independent thoughts matters. Practicing and developing their own ideas is important. Kids who trust themselves are more resilient and responsible.

• How to do it:

  Help your child think of AI like a tutor or a librarian. They can help explain or guide, but it does NOT replace their own thinking. Whether they are writing a story or learning a new topic, they are the one in the driver’s seat.

• Try This Today:

  After your child uses AI to answer their homework question, ask: “How would YOU explain that in your own words?”

Coming up

Between now and Fathers’s Day, I will dive deeper into each element of my TALK and THINK framework. In a “5 minutes Conversation Starters” form, I will give you talking points and real-life examples, all tailored for different age group and levels of familiarity of AI. Because as AI evolves, our conversations should to.

Again, Happy Mother’s Day! Whether you are celebrating today or holding space for someone who shaped you, I hope you feel surrounded by the wisdom and love that motherhood brings in all its form.

Thanks for being here as we figure out what it means to raise kids in the age of AI. One prompt at a time.

A fellow parent,

Dhani

©️ 2025 aiPTO

Think about any vibrant community you've been part of, a neighborhood party, a passionate online forum, or a dynamic classroom. What makes these spaces rich and alive isn't uniformity but the collision of different perspectives, the unexpected questions, and the unique approaches each person brings. Our collective diversity of thought has been the engine behind our greatest innovations and most profound cultural evolutions.

Yet here we are, racing toward a future where standardization of thought is marketed as efficiency. Where "prompt engineering" is becoming a profession dedicated to finding the most optimized way to interact with AI.

There's an unsettling irony in humans working so diligently to determine how other humans should communicate with machines.

When everyone uses identical prompts, we get identical outputs. The same images. The same essays. The same ideas recycled with minimal variation. This homogenization of creativity doesn't enhance human potential. It diminishes it.

It's a subtle but significant shift from using tools to extend our thinking to allowing tools to replace our thinking altogether.

The consequences of this shift become especially concerning when we consider children, whose developing minds are already profoundly shaped by digital environments.

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Now add AI to this mix. When children are handed "perfect prompts" rather than encouraged to develop their own questions, we're teaching them that there's a "right way" to think.

No need for exploration or original inquiry as they are NOT considered as optimized efficiency. We're normalizing intellectual outsourcing at precisely the age when children should be building confidence in their own mental capabilities.

This isn't about resisting technological progress. It's about being intentional about how we integrate these powerful tools into our lives and our children's development.

It's about recognizing that the questions we ask often matter more than the answers we receive. We must not rob children of the opportunity to formulate their own questions.

To struggle with ambiguity or to refine our thinking should be important elements of any childhood or adolescent.

We're essentially confining their intellectual growth to a prompt prison of our making.

The most valuable skills in the AI era won't be prompt optimization but precisely those qualities machines cannot replicate: curiosity, nuanced ethical reasoning, creative divergence, unique to each and every individuals.

These are the muscles that atrophy when we rely too heavily on pre-packaged prompts.

This recognition of what's at stake for the next generation has motivated me to develop approaches that preserve and strengthen children's intellectual agency while still allowing them to benefit from AI advancements.

I believe we need concrete frameworks that parents and educators can implement to ensure technology amplifies rather than replaces young minds.

That's where the THINK framework comes in, a framework I've been developing to help parents and kids approach AI outputs with healthy skepticism and analytical rigor.

Rather than focusing on how to get "perfect" results from AI, this framework emphasizes how to evaluate, question, and build upon whatever AI produces.

At aiPTO, my focus isn't on restricting technology but on building the mental resilience and intellectual confidence children need to use these tools without becoming dependent on them.

If you're a parent concerned about preserving your child's intellectual freedom and developing their capacity for independent thought alongside AI tools, I invite you to join this important conversation.

Subscribe to be notified when it launches tomorrow, and gain access to practical strategies for breaking out of the prompt prison that threatens to constrain our children's cognitive development.

Every new reader makes a difference in this important conversation so thank you for being part of it.

In embracing the beautiful chaos of human thought rather than algorithmic uniformity, we give our children the greatest gift possible: the freedom to think for themselves.

A fellow parent,

Dhani

Are you sure you know who’s tracking your child online?

With AI and Tech everywhere, understanding privacy laws is more important than ever for parents like us. There are not only Federal laws but also varying State and Local laws that covers these issues, which can be complicated to follow. Here I’ve created a simple infographics on the Federal Privacy Laws and breakdown further on what these laws mean to you as parents.

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US Kids’ Privacy Laws: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Let’s start with the basics…

COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act)

• Applies to children under 13.

• Requires websites and apps to get verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or sharing your child’s personal information.

• Recent update (like the proposed COPPA 2.0) means companies must get separate opt-in consent for things like targeted ads, and can’t keep your child’s data longer than necessary.

• “Personal information” now includes things like biometric data (face scans, fingerprints) and government-issued IDs.

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

• Protects student education records at schools that receive federal funding.

• Gives parents the right to access, review, and request corrections to their child’s school records.

• Limits who outside the school can see your child’s information without your consent.

What Does This Mean For Your Family and AI?

• More Parental Control: You must give clear consent for your child’s data to be collected or used for advertising. You can also ask companies to delete your child’s data.

• AI & Ed Tech: AI-powered apps and learning tools in schools must follow these rules, but there’s still a gray area, especially as AI gets smarter and collects more types of data.

• Teens & Social Media: New proposals (like KOSA) aim to expand protections up to age 16 or 17, banning targeted ads and requiring stronger parental controls on social platforms.

• Varying State/Local Laws: Some states have even stricter rules-especially around biometric data and targeted ads to minors. Stay tuned for our next article for a deeper dive.

What Should Parents Do?

• Always check privacy settings on your child’s apps and devices.

• Talk to your kids about what they share online.

• Use parental controls, but be aware: as kids get older, they may gain more rights to control their own data.

• If you’re unsure, ask your child’s school or the company how they use and protect your child’s information. You are protected by law to know!

• Stay updated. Laws are changing too. I’ll update this article as proposed regulations, like COPPA 2.0 and KOSA (Kids Online Safety Act), gets through the legal system.

Stay Tuned!

This is the first in our series on privacy laws for families. Next up: state/local rules and international protections (UK, Australia, Singapore, and more).

Thanks for joining me in this journey. Let’s protect our child’s digital future. One click at a time.

Dhani

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*P.S. If you found this helpful, consider sharing aiPTO with another parent navigating these same waters. Let’s tackle this together!

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Hey there! I'm Dhani, a mom of two girls (including a neurodivergent toddler), a tech professional, a policy wonk, and, just like you, someone trying to figure out how to raise kids in this fas-changing AI landscape.

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Why I Started aiPTO

Last month, while planning our summer vacation, I asked Gemini (Google’s AI) on my phone for family-friendly ideas. My 6-year-old, newly literate and ever curious, peeked over and asked, “Who is Gemini?”

“It’s an AI,” I replied casually. She tilted her head and asked, “What’s AI?”

That moment made me pause. As someone who works with AI tools professionally, I wasn’t ready to answer this simple question at home.

Sound familiar?

The Parenting-AI Gap: What the Data Shows

AI exists everywhere around our kids. It’s in the games they play, the YouTube videos they love, even the homework helpers they trust. But many parents feel unprepared.

• 70% of US teenagers have used generative AI at least once and 22% have share information online that they later found was false (Common Sense Media, 2025)

• Only 16% of parents feel they have a detailed understanding of AI (The National Parents Union, 2023)

• Most concerning: Students rate AI's accuracy highly, with an average score of 7.2 out of 10 for schoolwork (2024 internal user survey by Caktus AI)

This knowledge gap isn't your fault. AI is evolving faster than most parents can keep up. Plus, most resources focus on workplaces or classrooms, not homes.

What You’ll Get from aiPTO: AI Parenting Tips and Resources

This newsletter is your got-to resource for AI parenting tips and practical guidance on how to talk to kids about AI. I cut through the noise with:

1. Translating the tech: Breaking down AI concepts into what parents actually need to know with kid-friendly explanations you can use at home

2. Data-backed guidance & tips: Moving beyond opinions to research-based approaches. Practical ways to talk about and encouraging critical thinking about AI with your kids.

3. What’s New in AI - The Parent-Powered Digest: AI changes fast. I break down the latest news, trends, and tech. I translate what it means for you and your kids, with clear actions you can take right now.

4. Parenting Insights: Occasional stories (and rants!) from my own parenting journey.

Coming Up Next: AI Safety, Conversation Starters, and More

In the weeks ahead, I'll share:

• The 5-minute AI conversation starters that worked for my 6-year-old and could work for your kids too

• A simple framework to teach kids to critically evaluate AI outputs

• A deep dive on the current state of federal and state data privacy regulations thats impacts our kids

Let’s Connect: Join the AI Parenting Community

This isn't just me broadcasting. I want to build a community and hear from you!

• What was the first moment your child interacted or use AI? Drop it in the comments!

• Share your own tech parenting moments (wins or face-palms welcome!)

• Suggest topics you'd like covered in future newsletters

As a working mom juggling deadlines and bedtime stories, I know your time is precious. Each newsletter will be designed to be read in under 5 minutes, with optional deeper dives for those who want more.

Thanks for joining aiPTO, your trusted source for AI parenting tips and resources. Subscribe for free to get the latest guidance on parenting in the age of AI and technology.

One prompt, one question, one breakthrough at a time.

Dhani

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*P.S. If you found this helpful, consider sharing aiParentTech.com with another parent or guardian navigating these same waters. Let’s tackle this together!

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