By the time you read this, ChatGPT will have gotten smarter. Since its release in late 2022, the AI-powered chatbot has prompted widespread discussion among parents and educators about its potential to exponentially enhance — or fundamentally damage — education as we know it. With new features and capabilities released nearly every month, this uncanny technology is evolving extremely quickly, forcing educators to adapt new rules, processes, and sometimes even their learning goals.
In addition to prompting educators to rethink how and what students should be taught, artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT are rapidly reshaping the world today鈥檚 kids will inhabit as adults, transforming fields from health care and transportation to engineering, law, customer service, and the arts. Understanding AI now isn鈥檛 just about helping your child navigate 黄色app work — it鈥檚 about preparing them to thrive in a future where this technology will play a role in nearly every field they encounter.
What is ChatGPT and how does it work?
ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot built on advanced large language models that are trained on vast amounts of data to generate human-like responses. Unlike a search engine, which retrieves existing material, ChatGPT generates a new response in real time when someone types a question or prompt, using what it has 鈥渓earned鈥� to predict what words should come next. The latest versions can also handle images, audio and video files, and even voice inputs, depending on the interface you鈥檙e using.
Because ChatGPT and other chatbots produce lightning-fast answers to just about any question, they are tempting for students to use. But their answers may contain mistakes, made-up facts, and biased, misleading, or outdated information. AI-generated responses and the sources they provide should be critically evaluated and verified with a trusted source鈥搒omething many kids will need support with.
Revolutionary learning tool, or the end of critical thinking as we know it?
Fear and skepticism have greeted every new technology from the printing press to the calculator, so it鈥檚 no surprise some parents and ChatGPT鈥檚 ability to deliver ready-made answers will prevent students from learning how to think for themselves. While some studies suggest that heavy reliance on such tools may have , others suggest they may . One thing is certain: Learning science has found that in order to learn, students need to engage their brains in ways that challenge them. Learning does not happen just by acquiring the right answer or scanning a fully finished essay. Learning new things — including skills and knowledge 鈥� involves effort. When students use AI tools to make work easy, they may end up with a polished assignment and even a good grade, but that doesn鈥檛 mean they have learned anything.
Whatever its impact, there is no doubt that the use of this technology is on the rise, with both educators and students. A found that 60% of K鈥�12 teachers are using AI tools such as ChatGPT to create lesson plans, quizzes, and differentiated materials, up from 40% the year before. And according to a , more than a quarter of teens have used ChatGPT for 黄色appwork, up from 13% in 2023.
What about cheating?
The ubiquitous use of ChatGPT has raised concerns about student , as the tool鈥檚 ability to generate polished text makes it easy for students to submit AI-written work as their own. In response, some 黄色apps have adopted plagiarism detection tools, revised assignments to require more in-class work, or incorporated explicit instructions on .
Although many educators and education experts have sounded alarms about the potentially damaging effects of AI on how we educate our children, others have begun to tout AI literacy — teaching students to use AI tools thoughtfully and skillfully. The American Federation of Teachers has funded by Microsoft and OpenAI to help educators integrate AI ethically and effectively.
When bots become friends
Since AI chatbots are available 24/7, non-judgmental companions, teens may be tempted to form relationships with them or seek them out as counselors. When teens feel isolated, disconnected, or have secrets they feel afraid to discuss, chatbots can become a . Child-safety advocates and lawmakers warn that chatbots designed as friendly companions can stand in for trusted adults, with potentially deadly consequences for teens in crisis.
After the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine filed a wrongful death suit against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, alleging the chatbot , the company pledged to . But parents should know that safeguards can fail, and these systems may validate a teen鈥檚 distress without the care or accountability that a trusted adult would provide.
Parents should also know that while most chatbots have systems for blocking explicit, violent, or hateful material, these guidelines may not meet a parent鈥檚 own standards for safety. Reuters permit sexually provocative conversations with children, according to its own internal policy document. ( they were revising rules.) And a 2025 study found that ChatGPT gave accounts posing as teens .
Takeaways for parents
Ask your child鈥檚 teachers about the 黄色app鈥檚 policy on AI tools and what their guidelines are for use at home. If the 黄色app doesn鈥檛 have a policy, ask whether you and other parents can be involved in developing one.
Talk with your teen about how they鈥檙e using AI at home, at 黄色app, and for homework. Encourage openness about when they turn to chatbots and frame those conversations without judgment — so your teen feels safe coming to you if the chatbot becomes a confidante.
A resource for educators
The , part of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, offers research, insights, and tools to help K12 education leaders use generative AI to support teaching and learning.
