As technology continues to seep into every corner of our lives, including adults and kids, parents across the U.S. are struggling with a not-so-new but evolving challenge. How to keep their children’s screen time healthy and safe when it comes to interactions with AI chatbots.

What’s happened? A new survey by the Pew Research Centre sheds light on what the average digital life of kids looks like in the US. We know that it was already filled with TV, smartphones, and streaming, but now there is an alarming rise in the usage of AI.

• The use of voice assistants like Alexa and Siri is increasing, with 4 out of 10 parents with a 12-year-old kid or younger reporting it.
• About 1 in 10 parents say their 5-12-year-old children have used AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
• 26% of U.S. teens have already admitted to using ChatGPT for schoolwork, which could be harmful. A recent study from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University found that over-reliance on AI worsens our cognitive thinking skills.

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

This is important because: Experts are concerned that early and unrestricted access to AI could affect children’s development in terms of how they learn and process information. While it can assist in problem-solving, the ready-made answers provided by AI can reduce their natural curiosity and motivation to explore or learn new skills independently.

“A quarter of public K-12 teachers say using AI tools in K-12 education does more harm than good,” said another Pew research. Here are some potential concerns raised by researchers:

• There is a risk of misinformation as chatbots can ‘hallucinate’ and provide misleading answers with confidence.
• Kids may rely on AI instead of cultivating their own reasoning and writing abilities. Additionally, children’s data could be stored or profiled by AI.
• Moreover, increased use of chatbots or AI companion can stunt their emotional development and impact their ability to establish good relationships.

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

Why should I care? The speed at which AI is being integrated into everyday platforms like YouTube, school apps, and smart devices is faster than parents can adapt and respond to. Continuing at this pace, it’s hard to tell where healthy exploration ends and AI dependence begins.

• Parents need to understand what the use of AI really means beyond homework, and also enable parental controls, such as those available for ChatGPT users.
• Educators need to strike a healthy balance between AI literacy and the critical thinking of children.
• As kids grow up with artificial intelligence, adults need to set the right boundaries before technology dominates their minds