Most articles focus on fear or don't how and why AI works: this guide offers a practical explanation of AI for parents, and a skills framework to help parents coach kids on real-world AI usage.
Some great tips here. Would like a guide for how to talk to the adults who are skeptical, fearful, or are otherwise obstructing adopting and integrating AI. School board, workplace execs, neighbors and community leaders. Too much fear mongering and nay-saying out there holding us back.
I am a nay-sayer. I’ve been meaning to buy a computer with a new identity just for AI use. Did you hear the story where the AI was able to “capture the flag” and copy all the sensitive info ?
I mean, do you trust the likes of OpenAI and Facebook not to steal everything? They might just want the info in order to sell you stuff, but once it’s collected all in one place, all of that information can be stolen and used by “the government.” And before this admin, that wouldn’t have been a problem. Because we had a system that required warrants. We had the rule of law.
What if we all become nay-sayers? That doesn’t sound so bad.
It’s just too unregulated.
There are some industries that are completely banned bc as a society we said this is not acceptable— like child pornography.
In its current commercial usage for personal usage, it’s just unacceptable.
In the article, Nate said “it’s not surveillance, it’s collaboration.” I mean, that’s ideal. But did you ever sneak out of your parents house when they were asleep? Kids are going to “sneak” out even with the best of the best personal relationship you have with your kid.
Workplace execs, well, if they don’t get in the game, they’ll just be replaced. The same with any other adult/community sector.
But the personal usage in the hands of minors and young adults (<25 yrs old) —
I don’t know. It just sounds like a tech that should be reserved for 21 or over. If this thing has all of our info it might as well require biometric verification.
Shoot, we should go back to the days of Internet cafes.
I just recently asked 30 genz college students about how AI is effecting their career choices.
One surprising insight related to your point about “cognitive offloading” : They are worried about the impact of their future colleagues using AI on their field. They see their classmates using it as “cognitive crutch” in classes and worry that will translate into their future colleagues.
Ex. One student who plans to go into healthcare worried about having to wade through more low quality information. Another student decided to abandon their plans to go into academia until colleges figure out the most appropriate way to integrate AI into pedagogy.
Spot on. The pace of change is wild. As a techer, I see kids effectively 'outsourcing' homework to these models. It's a whole new ball game, not just for parents.
not the usual panic or buzzwords. One thing I’d be curious for you to explore next time: how this plays out in the family dynamic itself. Kids moving to AI for emotional buffering, teachers not knowing how to handle AI-first students, and the long-term habits this creates.
You already laid the base. Would love to see you stretch into those angles too.
Interesting read even though I don’t have kids. I will try to teach this to my nieces and nephew and get their parents to read and act on this!
This might be one of the most impactful things you have written (thinking on a humanity scale) ever. At least to me it feels like it because it is universal and will be relevant even after GPT 6, Claude Opus 5 and Gemini 4 Pro
Long time lurker, can't hold my appreciation back any longer, as a foster family, the battles we have with the authority and professionals are diminished significantly due to the empowerment these tools through your guidance provide.
This is excellent Nate. Thank you as ever for such measured guidance. As an educator and a parent to two young children I really appreciate this. 🙏
so glad it was helpful Sam! Good luck, from one parent to another...
Some great tips here. Would like a guide for how to talk to the adults who are skeptical, fearful, or are otherwise obstructing adopting and integrating AI. School board, workplace execs, neighbors and community leaders. Too much fear mongering and nay-saying out there holding us back.
I think I probably need to tackle that one yeah...
I am a nay-sayer. I’ve been meaning to buy a computer with a new identity just for AI use. Did you hear the story where the AI was able to “capture the flag” and copy all the sensitive info ?
I mean, do you trust the likes of OpenAI and Facebook not to steal everything? They might just want the info in order to sell you stuff, but once it’s collected all in one place, all of that information can be stolen and used by “the government.” And before this admin, that wouldn’t have been a problem. Because we had a system that required warrants. We had the rule of law.
What if we all become nay-sayers? That doesn’t sound so bad.
It’s just too unregulated.
There are some industries that are completely banned bc as a society we said this is not acceptable— like child pornography.
In its current commercial usage for personal usage, it’s just unacceptable.
In the article, Nate said “it’s not surveillance, it’s collaboration.” I mean, that’s ideal. But did you ever sneak out of your parents house when they were asleep? Kids are going to “sneak” out even with the best of the best personal relationship you have with your kid.
Workplace execs, well, if they don’t get in the game, they’ll just be replaced. The same with any other adult/community sector.
But the personal usage in the hands of minors and young adults (<25 yrs old) —
I don’t know. It just sounds like a tech that should be reserved for 21 or over. If this thing has all of our info it might as well require biometric verification.
Shoot, we should go back to the days of Internet cafes.
Amazing collection of perspectives! Your understanding goes well beyond the value of AI, into the impacts on society as well.
glad you enjoyed it!
I just recently asked 30 genz college students about how AI is effecting their career choices.
One surprising insight related to your point about “cognitive offloading” : They are worried about the impact of their future colleagues using AI on their field. They see their classmates using it as “cognitive crutch” in classes and worry that will translate into their future colleagues.
Ex. One student who plans to go into healthcare worried about having to wade through more low quality information. Another student decided to abandon their plans to go into academia until colleges figure out the most appropriate way to integrate AI into pedagogy.
Hi, Nate. Will you have any promos for Thanksgiving? Thanks!
Spot on. The pace of change is wild. As a techer, I see kids effectively 'outsourcing' homework to these models. It's a whole new ball game, not just for parents.
Really liked this, Nate. Super grounded and
not the usual panic or buzzwords. One thing I’d be curious for you to explore next time: how this plays out in the family dynamic itself. Kids moving to AI for emotional buffering, teachers not knowing how to handle AI-first students, and the long-term habits this creates.
You already laid the base. Would love to see you stretch into those angles too.
This is so valuable it should be made free and promoted all over the internet.
Could you please allow subscribers to share the full content of this (and only this) post? It will change lives.
the part that hits is how fast these systems became part of kids’ daily lives.
adults had time to build skepticism, kids didn’t.
it’s everyone’s responsibility teaching them how to think around AI.
Nate, this is so so relatable.
I write about humanizing the future of learning.
🌸 I’d love your insights on my latest piece: How AI Learns from Shapes 🤖🌟
https://open.substack.com/pub/doodlesbydevika/p/how-ai-learns-from-shapes
Interesting read even though I don’t have kids. I will try to teach this to my nieces and nephew and get their parents to read and act on this!
This might be one of the most impactful things you have written (thinking on a humanity scale) ever. At least to me it feels like it because it is universal and will be relevant even after GPT 6, Claude Opus 5 and Gemini 4 Pro
Nodding along and couldn’t help thinking it’s not just teens that need these guidelines, adults could follow them too.
Long time lurker, can't hold my appreciation back any longer, as a foster family, the battles we have with the authority and professionals are diminished significantly due to the empowerment these tools through your guidance provide.
Very well written. Human first being the goal, I appreciate the context given here greatly.
Doing this.