WASHINGTON, D.C. — The school year is back in full swing — and for parents, that means more than packing lunches and checking homework.
As kids spend more time connected, experts say it may be time to check the family’s rules for phones, screens, and now, artificial intelligence. AI can answer questions in seconds, write a paper in minutes, and keep kids entertained for hours.
But experts warn there’s a catch: If kids let technology do the thinking for them, they may never build those skills themselves.
“Technology can help connect citizens across the United States in ways that were unthinkable just 20, 30, 40 years ago,” said Ajit Pai, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission during President Trump’s first term.
Pai now serves as president and CEO of CTIA, the largest trade association representing the U.S. wireless industry.
“We want to make sure that people are able to use these tools safely. And that comes into the fore, especially when we’re talking about our kids,” Pai said.
He says parents should start with simple, clear rules and stick to them.
“No dinner time phone conversations, phones are to be turned in at 8:00. The use of screen time limits through the phone,” said Pai. “I use an app called Bark to help monitor what they’re watching. So those are the kinds of things parents can do.”
When it comes to artificial intelligence, Pai says parents should draw a fine line between allowing kids to use it as a tool — and becoming dependent on it.
“We certainly don’t want AI to be doing the work for the kids,” Pai said. “That hard work, that dedication, those habits of learning have to be developed on their own. They can’t use A.I. as a crutch.”
That means encouraging kids to research, write, solve problems and even make mistakes.
“You cannot plug it into AI or some other type of tool and just get the answer spit out to you. That process of working through it, even when you get it wrong, is a really important habit for you to learn as you get older,” said Pai.
Pai hopes federal leaders can offer more uniform regulation to ensure consistency and safety across the country.
“I know a lot of parents, I feel it myself, you feel like there’s this digital tsunami coming at you all the time, all these challenges and risks,” he said. “For those in a position of power to let parents know we’re on your side, we understand your concerns, let’s have a conversation about whether and how to reshape our laws to better fit the needs of your family and our country.”
The goal is not to unplug kids from technology, Pai said it’s to make sure parents and kids are the ones in control of the technology, and not the other way around.
Experts also recommend monitoring kids’ privacy online- watching out for scams, and setting social media and gaming boundaries, and perhaps most importantly, being a role model for good digital habits, yourself.
