Check the age requirements in the terms first
Most conversational AI services set a minimum age in their terms, and many require parental consent below a certain age or do not allow younger children at all. The requirements differ by service and by country and can change, so read the terms and official guidance of the service you plan to use. Avoid letting a child under the age limit quietly use a parent's account, or entering a different date of birth. It is also worth finding out whether there is a service made specifically for children, or a tool the school provides for lessons. If it is used at a school or a tutoring centre, check that institution's policy as well.
Use it together at first
When you first show a child AI, do not leave them to it alone. Sit beside them and try it together. Seeing what the child is curious about and how the AI answers naturally gives you things to talk about. It is better to keep the device in a shared space like the living room than in the child's bedroom. Looking over the chat history together now and then also helps, but telling the child in advance and looking at it together protects trust better than checking in secret. The younger the child, the more time a parent should spend alongside them, widening the room for their own judgement little by little as they grow.
Explain what AI is at their level
Children easily come to feel that a friendly, chatty AI is a person or a friend, so it helps to explain a few things in simple words. AI is a program that has seen a great deal of writing and produces plausible-sounding answers; it is not a person who thinks and feels. That means it can talk as if it knows things it does not, and can give wrong answers with confidence. Playing a game of spotting wrong answers together works well. Ask it about an animal or a local place the child knows well, and let them find the parts that are off. Then build the habit of checking in a book or another reliable source.
Teach what must never be shared
Children often do not know what counts as personal information. Spell out concretely what they must not tell an AI or anyone else online.
- Their real name, school name and class
- Their home address and places they often go
- Phone numbers, and family members' names and workplaces
- Photos showing their face, or in school uniform
- Passwords and account details
For homework, ask for explanations, not answers
Using AI for homework brings the temptation to copy the answer straight down. Then the homework gets done but nothing is learned. Guide the child to ask for a concept to be explained again more simply, to have their own answer checked with reasons, or to ask only for a hint. Afterwards, ask them to explain it in their own words to see whether they really understood. Schools differ in how far they allow AI, so build the habit of checking the teacher's guidance before using it for an assignment.
Strange answers and feelings
Services try to filter out inappropriate content, but the filters are not perfect. Agree in advance that if the child sees a frightening, upsetting or confusing answer, they will tell you straight away without worrying about getting into trouble. Also watch for a child confiding worries or loneliness only to an AI. AI always answers kindly, but it cannot actually look after a child or protect them from danger. Teach them to talk about hard feelings with people such as family, teachers or a school counsellor. In a dangerous situation, help from adults and professional services comes first.
Make family rules together
Rules work better when you make them with the child rather than handing them down. Writing them out and putting them somewhere visible helps.
- When and for how long (setting a timer cuts down on arguments)
- Where (in a space the family shares)
- What for (looking up questions, making up stories and so on)
- What not to do (entering personal details, copying homework answers)
- Tell a parent straight away about anything strange
Parent checklist
Things for a parent to confirm when a child starts using AI.
- I checked the age limit and parental consent rules in the service's terms
- I used it alongside the child for the first few times
- The child knows that AI can be wrong
- We went over personal information and family rules together
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