AI is now part of most young people's digital life—whether they're using chatbots for homework, creating images with generators, or stumbling across AI content on social media. Safer Internet Day 2026 focused on helping parents understand these tools and the real risks that come with them. The good news: you don't need to be a tech expert to keep your child safer with AI. You just need to know what to look for and what to say.
What AI risks actually matter for your child
AI isn't one thing. Your child might encounter:
- Chatbots (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) — free tools that answer questions and write things. Risk: your child shares personal information thinking the bot is private (it often isn't); they rely on AI for homework instead of learning; they treat it like a friend and overshare.
- Image generators (DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion) — tools that create pictures from text prompts. Risk: they're used to create fake images of real people (including sexualised fake images); deepfakes of classmates; illegal or harmful content.
- AI-generated content on social media — deepfakes, fake reviews, fake news, fake influencers. Risk: your child believes false information; they're tricked by convincing fakes.
- AI in apps they already use — Instagram's editing tools, TikTok's effects, Snapchat's filters. Risk: they don't realise these are AI and don't understand what data they're sharing to make them work.
> The biggest risk isn't the technology itself—it's your child not knowing they're using it or what it can do with their information.
How to talk about AI without sounding out of touch
Start with what *they* know. Ask:
- "Do you use ChatGPT or any chatbot for homework?"
- "Have you made pictures with an AI tool like DALL-E?"
- "Have you noticed fake images or deepfakes online?"
Listen to their answer. If they say "no", that's fine—but many have seen or used at least one without realising it was AI.
Then name the three things to avoid: