Why parents need to talk to their teens about AI — and how to start the conversation

Nicholas Munkbhatter started using ChatGPT shortly after the artificial intelligence chatbot was released in late 2022. He was 14 at the time, and he says, "I would use it for almost everything, like math problems."

At first, Munkbhatter, who is from Sacramento, Calif., thought it was amazing. But then, he says, he started to see downsides: "I realized it was just giving me an answer without helping me go through the actual process of learning."

Many kids and teens use ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence models like Claude or Google Gemini for everything from dealing with math homework to coping with a mental health crisis, often with little to no guidance from adults. Education and child development experts say parents must take the lead in helping children understand t