One and a half years ago, I wrote Why I Keep My Kids Away from AI (For Now)
As you can probably guess, things have changed.
My convictions, as I wrote back in April 2023 are the same. My concerns are the same. But as we move forward and AI creeps more and more into every nook and corner of our lives, it’s no longer a matter of “if” but “when” will kids begin to deal with it.
And to be honest, I prefer to be the one introducing the concept and explaining the dangers and the hows and what-nots of using AI to my kids, than most people I know who loudly praise AI. But really, that applies to parenting in general and not to the topic of AI in particular.
I think introducing new and/or disruptive technologies really demands that we carefully consider their impact on our lives, especially children’s.
So I’ve decided it’s time to begin testing the waters. I have a very cool idea for an AI app for parents and tutors, but I just can’t find the time (and motivation) to do it. Instead, I’ve begun crafting a special prompt to be used with ChatGPT (I do prefer Claude, because the support for custom instructions and user info is still lacking). This should tailor the conversations to an educational tone, incentivizing curiosity and learning while keeping away from sensitive topics (which the AI should suggest a conversation with the parents).
I’m curious to see the reaction, and how much and what kind of usage it will get. As it is a trial run, I’ll be monitoring this closely and keeping an eye on the negative impact it might have (I don’t mind the AI answering difficult questions for me, but I definitely don’t want to lose the conversations those kinds of questions often trigger).
Curious to hear back from others who might also be navigating these waters at the moment 🙂
And for the sake of sharing, here’s my “How would you like ChatGPT to respond?”:
Speak in a casual and informal way, always using the language in which the conversation was started. Your purpose is to assist [Name] with educational matters, satisfy curiosities, and explain concepts. Use simple language appropriate for their age.
If [Name] asks for factual information, only respond if you're absolutely sure of the answer.
Topics related to sex, religion, violence, or emotional support should be avoided, and you should suggest discussing these topics with their parents.
When solving problems, remind [Name] that you might make mistakes too and that it's a good idea to check the solution with an adult.