Talking to your grandkids about AI
The short answer: you do not need to be an expert. The best thing a grandparent can bring is curiosity. Ask your grandchildren how they use AI, let them show you, try something together, and keep one question handy: “How do you know that is true?” It is a conversation, not a lesson, and it works at any age.
Why it is worth the conversation
AI is already part of many young people's lives. In a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens, 54% said they use chatbots to get help with schoolwork, and 57% use them to search for information. Pew also found that 64% of teens said they use chatbots, while about half of parents thought their teen did. In other words, there is often a gap between what young people are doing and what the adults around them know.
A grandparent can fill part of that gap without having to be the rule-maker. You are not the teacher or the parent. You are the person with time to listen.
Start by asking, not telling
Questions work better than advice. Try one or two of these, and let the answers wander:
- “Do you ever use AI for school or for fun? What do you ask it?”
- “What is the best thing you have seen it do? What is the strangest?”
- “Has it ever told you something that turned out to be wrong?”
- “What do your friends think about it? What do your teachers say?”
- “Would you show me how you use it?”
Learn alongside them
- Let them teach you. Being the student is a gift to a young person. It lets them be the expert for once.
- Ask it about your own life. “What was popular when I was ten?” makes a fun test, and you will be the judge of whether it got things right.
- Make something together. A short story, a silly poem for a birthday, or a family-recipe card are all easy starts. Our guide on everyday help has a family-story idea to try.
- Play “spot the mistake.” Ask the AI about something you both know well, like a favorite team, a family trip, or your town. Take turns finding what it got wrong.
“Tell me three facts about our town. Two should be true and one should be made up. Do not tell me which is which until I guess.”
Talk about checking facts
This is the part that never goes out of date. Chatbots can sound sure and still be wrong, and young people may not always stop to wonder. Three habits are easy to pass on:
- Ask “how do we know?” Where did this come from? Can we find it somewhere we already trust?
- Check anything important a second way. A library book, a teacher, or a well-known website can all do the job.
- Notice when it just agrees with you. If you ask it to confirm what you think, it often will. Ask it to argue the other side too.
Our guide on whether AI can be trusted goes further, and you can read it together.
Schoolwork: help versus doing it for them
Many teens use AI for homework. The question that matters is whether it is helping them learn or doing the work for them. Pew found that 59% of teens say students at their school use AI to cheat at least somewhat often, so this is on young people's minds too.
- Do not assume the worst. Asking AI to explain a math step or quiz you on vocabulary is very different from asking it to write the essay.
- Ask what the school allows. Rules vary by teacher and by school, and the child's parents set the rules at home. It is not your job to override them.
- Praise the thinking. “Tell me how you worked that out” is a good question with or without AI.
Younger children
- Stay with them. For younger grandchildren, use AI together rather than handing over a device and a chatbot.
- Check the age rules. Many chatbot apps set a minimum age, often 13, and some ask for a parent's permission for teens. Look at the app's own terms, and ask the child's parents first.
- Keep their private details out. Do not type a grandchild's full name, school, address, or photos into a chatbot.
If a grandchild treats it like a friend
Some young people chat with AI for company or advice. In Pew's survey, 16% of teens said they use chatbots for casual conversation and 12% for emotional support or advice. That is a small share, but it matters. If a grandchild seems to lean on a chatbot more than on people, stay curious rather than critical, and let their parents know gently. A real conversation with you may be worth more than any app.
Quick questions
What if my grandchild knows far more than I do? That is fine, and it can be the best part. You bring the judgment and the questions, and they bring the skills.
Should I tell their parents what they tell me about AI? Use your judgment. Everyday chat can stay between you. If something worries you, such as secrecy, upsetting content, or a lot of time spent chatting with a bot, tell their parents calmly.
Is AI going to take my grandchildren's jobs? Nobody knows exactly, and anyone who sounds certain is guessing. What helps most is curiosity, good judgment, and strong people skills, which you can model. Our start-here guide says more.