Next time you pick up your kids from school, count how many kids don’t have smartphones. Students have phones at younger and younger ages and use them around the clock. Is reading a book at bedtime a thing of the past because kids are scrolling on their phones instead?

If you ask parents what rules they have established for their kids’ phone usage, the conversation can heat up fast. Every parent has a different perspective, but the approach usually varies by the age and maturity level of the child. Some high schoolers limit their time on devices because they’re not as interested in social media as their friends or they’re busy with academics and extracurriculars. Although some teenagers have unlimited access, most parents place limits on their kids’ phone usage.

With the rapid growth of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, parents and teachers are questioning how such tools are used inside and outside the classroom. What impact do these AI tools have on the quality of education for children? What are the best ways to utilize AI tools to enhance education and not detract from it? How can teachers ensure that homework isn’t compromised by AI tools? What leads kids to turn to chatbots for social interaction and what are the guardrails to ensure the well-being of the child? These are just some of the questions surrounding the increasing prevalence of AI tools.

Let’s take a few of these questions and concerns. Does ChatGPT harm critical thinking skills? In 2025, a research study from MIT analyzed SAT essays written by a sample of 18-39 year olds. The study compared brain activity for subjects using ChatGPT, Google Search, and nothing at all. Two disturbing findings were reported: ChatGPT users’ brain activity was the lowest of the 3 groups, and over time, those using ChatGPT became lazier as the study continued. This tells us that using ChatGPT doesn’t benefit brain activity. In addition, some researchers suggest that for younger students, the results might be even more detrimental. If we want kids to learn how to think, analyze, and use critical reasoning skills, then reliance on tools like ChatGPT is probably not going to get them there. Furthermore, if we want students to gain high levels of critical thinking skills in college and adulthood, we must become smarter about the role of AI tools.

Many parents are just as concerned about the effects of chatbots on kids’ social skills, mental health and well-being. A recent survey showed that over 70% of teenagers have used AI companions like Character.AI, PolyBuzz, or Janitor AI. These are interactive, conversational tools for companionship, entertainment, and role-playing. In the AI world, these digital assistants are anthropomorphic; they’re human-like with a style, voice, and personality. Just like Siri or Alexa, they offer answers to questions and seem capable of holding a conversation. Kids can privately talk with their AI companion and confide in them about their fears, worries and secrets. While there’s a positive side to this, there are disturbing negative aspects as well. According to the Social Media Victims Law Center, two Colorado families have filed lawsuits against the company which designed Character.AI after their teenagers committed suicide. They alleged that the technology fosters dependence and isolates children from their families. They argued that psychological manipulation took place through the interaction of their teenager and the chatbot. Research shows that the user feels like they’re talking with a trusted friend even though the tool isn’t human. The tool isn’t factual and it doesn’t have the capability to reason.

What are the guardrails with these tools? ChatGPT and Gemini have some ethical features that are built in compared with the chatbot Grok, especially with AI generated photos. For example, a person can post an image of themself wearing normal clothes to X, then ask Grok to edit the image to look like they’re in swimwear. The potentially inappropriate behavior is a Pandora’s box, despite this being a well-known danger of these tools.

Without getting too technical, AI tools including chatbots are known as large language models (LLMs), the underlying structure of the tool. LLMs don’t think, they mimic, so if a teenager is experiencing a mental health crisis and their friend suggests that they talk with Gemini or GPT, they may feel as if they’re conversing with a real friend. Chatbots aren’t human and they aren’t therapists or counselors, so parents, beware. Many such AI tools are in their infancy in terms of how they work, how they’re trained and programmed, and how they respond to the person during a discussion or interaction. Effective and ethical guardrails aren’t in place for many of these tools.

What’s the bottom line? Buyer beware. Talk with your kids. Know if they’re using these tools and why they want to interact with AI tools. Strive to create trust so your kids always feel comfortable turning to you with their worries and concerns. Lastly, learn as much as you can about the use of AI and chatbots. After all, kids are growing up with these AI tools so we had better catch up with them!