AI (Artificial Intelligence)—It’s the new buzzword. And it’s natural for our kids to be curious about it and all of its ever-increasing forms.
As this technology advances, so will our need to adapt our strategies towards how we use it.
However, here are five simple tips adapted from commonsensemedia.org (a helpful site for parents) that I shared with a group of moms and dads at my home church yesterday on how to start helping prepare your kids now for the new world of AI tomorrow.
These suggestions are just a starting point to open up a much larger ongoing conversation.
Discuss the benefits and risks.
Have you had any conversations with your kids about AI? It’s going to be a big part of their lives (or at least their surrounding world) in the coming years.
Remember when people used to say “This generation of kids will never know a world without the iPhone?” Well, that’s what is going to be said about AI and the next generation.
As with anything new (internet, smartphone, Siri, etc.), there are great benefits and great risks that should be discussed.
The reality is that AI is here to stay, and for the sake of our kids, we can’t afford to just ignore it.
Explore AI tools together.
It’s great for kids to learn how to use new tools with adult support and supervision.
My boys and I tried this out a few weeks ago. We asked Chat GTP to create an argument for and against a biblical issue, and the results were interesting, to say the least.
Address biases in tech.
Like any tech, AI is not perfect. It’s designed by humans, so has the potential for many mistakes or mistruths.
Remind your kids to get important information only from trustworthy sources they know they can rely on, rather than randomly through technology.
Get honest about dishonesty and cheating.
Popular AI tools have made cheating in multiple ways easier than ever before. AI can be a helpful tool if used properly, but a dangerous one if used improperly.
Like many things, it can help us or hurt us. Reminding our kids of this is a must.
Always stay rooted in truth.
Just because new technology comes along making it easier to “get ahead”, honesty and dishonesty don’t change definitions just because of changes in technology.
As the world of information gets broader, we must help our children’s sources of truth get narrower. Primarily, we must train our kids to compare everything against “what saith the Scripture?” (Romans 4:3)
Because every new and shiny thing in this world will eventually fade away. But truth always remains, standing the test of time.
So… if you haven’t had the AI conversation yet… IT’S TIME!
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever.” – Isaiah 40:8
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Godly Parent.
Featured Image by seowoo lee from Pixabay
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