How Parents Can Set Healthy AI Boundaries For Children

Recent research is showing there is a growing concern about using AI by kids and teenagers as assistants to their everyday “mental” work. Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of everyday life, and children are encountering AI at school, at home and online. From answering questions to explaining difficult subjects, AI tools can be useful learning assistants. But there is an important difference between using AI to learn and using AI to do your schoolwork for you.

The impact of using AI is not just limited homework or academic performance. Using AI for everything can have huge impact on mental health of children. These mental health effects could be complex. AI can sometimes reduce frustration and help a child learn, but excessive or inappropriate use can contribute to isolation, dependence, misinformation, anxiety, or reduced real-world interaction.

As current research is still developing, so we should avoid saying that AI causes mental health problems in children. Instead, parents and teachers should find way to influence children not to depend on AI for everything.

How Can AI Affect Children’s Mental Health?

Image credit: Image by Nguyen Dinh Lich from Pixabay (Free to use under Pixabay content license, July 11, 2016)