Ask 10 different people for their thoughts on artificial intelligence (AI) and you’ll get 10 different answers. Our new digital landscape is complex, messy, and moving fast. It’s no wonder kids, parents, and schools alike have questions about navigating this new world.
And as young people interact with AI technologies, they’re not just using new tools; they’re also navigating new ways of seeking information, advice, and connection. Here, we’re laying out the facts about AI and helping you pave the way forward with your child’s well-being in mind.
AI is all around
Matthew Johnson is the director of education at MediaSmarts, Canada’s Centre for Digital Media Literacy. This non-partisan registered charity produces original research and educational materials with a focus on how young people engage with digital media. As a dad and former classroom teacher, Johnson is well-versed in understanding digital technologies and making sense of them for parents, kids, and teachers.
Johnson is quick to point out that AI itself isn’t new. We’ve been engaging with AI in various ways for years, whether we have known it or not. For example, AI algorithms have been used to produce online search results long before we started receiving “AI overviews” at the top of webpages.
However, now generative AI also exists. This type of AI is far more sophisticated and can be used to create images, videos, voice, and text, including text that mimics conversations with real people.
What is AI, anyway?
Simply put, artificial intelligence uses computer algorithms (meaning a series of instructions) to do tasks without much (or any) human involvement. These tasks previously required human intelligence. Generative AI refers to AI that can generate text, images, videos, and voice.
Why AI speaks to kids
Generative AI is quickly becoming part of everyday life for many of us—including kids and teens. Johnson explains that for young people, the number one use of AI is entertainment. But kids and teens also turn to AI for homework help and conversations with chatbots such as ChatGPT.
Johnson urges caution for those using AI for meaningful conversations. Sometimes conversations with AI chatbots can be helpful, for instance, for short-term emotional support during a difficult time.
However, Johnson also maintains that “these are parasocial relationships. AI chatbots mimic real people, but there are key differences in conversations with AI versus conversations with people. AI is designed to be agreeable, even sycophantic, and is optimized to continue the interaction.”
Unsurprisingly, this agreeableness can be appealing. AI chatbots can feel approachable, patient, and non-judgmental. However, these conversations can lead to unrealistic expectations of how people act.
“Young people can end up preferring to interact with AI rather than real people,” says Johnson. “And rather than warning young people against dangerous behaviour, they may even encourage [it].” This can have major mental health implications for young people.
Answers generated by AI are not always true—even though they might sound credible or persuasive. Two examples went viral in 2024, in which AI recommended that humans eat a rock every day and glue their pizza. In another viral example from 2025, some major US newspapers published a summer reading list that recommended books that do not exist.
Cute animal video or AI slop? According to Matthew Johnson, director of education at MediaSmarts, younger people tend to be more skeptical of digital content, whereas older folks (who didn’t grow up learning to be digitally savvy) tend to have a harder time determining what is AI and what is real. However, younger people (who grew up learning to be digitally distrustful) are also more likely to disbelieve real, credible online information. Visit mediasmarts.ca/break-fake for tips on how to tell what’s real and what’s not.
Navigating the new landscape
One of the main concerns when it comes to AI is privacy. “When we use these [AI] platforms, we contribute to a data profile about us,” Johnson says. We don’t necessarily know how or when this data will be used. According to MediaSmarts, our race, gender, sexual orientation, health status, and more can be turned into pieces of data businesses can use to make money.
However, AI can also have benefits for young people. According to MediaSmarts, when used correctly, AI can foster learning, creativity, and innovation. It can have real-life applications when it comes to automating repetitive tasks, and it can be a helpful tool for those with diverse needs.
Rather than eschewing AI altogether, Johnson encourages parents and kids to use and learn about it together. “What makes the biggest difference in AI literacy is learning enough about how it works to understand that it’s not magic.” This is why education is so important. Johnson points to MediaSmart’s Canada AI Literacy Day webpage (mediasmarts.ca/canada-ai-literacy-day) as a resource; it contains tips, tricks, and fact sheets to make the journey easier (see sidebar).
AI isn’t all good or all bad—the truth is far more nuanced. And one thing is for certain, as Johnson asserts, “it’s not going anywhere.”
Quick tips for parents
These actionable tips can help you monitor and guide your kids’ AI use.
- Encourage open conversations with your kids. Johnson encourages parents to “highlight concerns and risks and encourage kids to be curious, creative, and playful—and think critically.” Visit mediasmarts.ca/teacher-resources/talking-kids-about-ai-tips-parents for more details.
- Review privacy policies and terms of service. These can be confusing! Johnson recommends the websites Terms of Service; Didn’t Read (tosdr.org/en) and Privacy Not Included (mozillafoundation.org/en/privacynotincluded), which can help.
- As with all online behaviour, set boundaries that make sense for your family.
- Ensure your child understands their school or classroom’s AI rules. Ask your child’s teacher for these rules if you are unsure.
- Keep individual chatbot sessions short. Johnson explains that longer sessions increase what AI can “remember” about us.
- Stick to credible sources for mental health supports, such as qualified counsellors and Kids Help Phone (kidshelpphone.ca).
- Never share intimate images or videos online, even if they were created with AI. This can create real harm and may have legal implications.
- Learn together and keep learning. Visit MediaSmarts.ca for educational materials made specifically for kids and parents.
AI in schools?
AI in schools is tricky business! According to Johnson, “students and teachers are getting mixed messages when it comes to using AI. Students are frequently told not to use AI—that it’s dangerous, unethical, and risky. At the same time, many schools are making AI tools available and even making AI partnerships.”
When it comes to academic dishonesty, such as using AI to write homework assignments, Johnson explains that the root of the deception hasn’t changed. “When young people use AI in academically dishonest ways, it’s for the same reason kids have been academically dishonest in the past: they see the result is more important than the process,” he says.
One key consideration about AI use, according to Johnson, is that we haven’t yet decided as a society what we are okay with automating. “AI allows us to automate things we never previously thought we could,” he says.
He explains that it’s a bit like arithmetic and calculators. We expect students to learn to do arithmetic—up to a point. After that point they can use a calculator. We have yet to determine what that point is when it comes to automating things with AI. We are still in AI’s infancy, and there are many more conversations to be had.
AI and the environment
Most data centres (the facilities that house AI infrastructure) use up huge amounts of resources, including land, water, and minerals. At the same time, they create large amounts of electronic waste and greenhouse gases. For a more environmentally conscious option, consider choosing AI systems that run on renewable energy such as Ecosia (www.ecosia.org/) or GreenPT (greenpt.com/).
This article was originally published in the August 2026 issue of alive magazine.
