Artificial Intelligence (AI) is appearing everywhere in children’s lives, from learning apps and voice assistants to chatbots and games. While these tools can make learning fun and interactive, they also bring new risks that parents and teachers need to manage.
At Educational App Store, we’ve tested and reviewed hundreds of apps for children, including those using AI. Based on our experience, here’s a guide to the four biggest risks of AI for kids and what you can do to keep your child safe.
1. Data and Privacy - Who Sees Your Child’s Information?
AI systems often collect large amounts of personal data: voice recordings, images, and even behavior patterns. This data helps apps “learn” and improve, but it can also be misused if safeguards aren’t in place.
What you can do:
- Before your child uses an AI tool, check its privacy policy. Look for clear explanations of what data is collected.
- Stick to tools that comply with child privacy regulations (like COPPA in the U.S. for kids under 13).
- Use parental dashboards and settings to limit how much information your child shares.
2. Inappropriate Content - When AI Gets It Wrong
AI filters don’t always get things right. An app might recommend a video, story, or game that looks harmless but isn’t suitable for kids. Even platforms built for children can sometimes make mistakes.
What you can do:
- Preview the content of apps before handing them to your child.
- Use child-specific versions of platforms whenever available.
- Stay nearby during early use to make sure recommendations are appropriate.
3. Profiling - When AI Labels Your Child
AI tools often create profiles of users to personalize experiences. For kids, this can mean being “pigeonholed” into categories like only seeing certain games, books, or videos. Over time, this can limit exploration or expose children to unwanted advertising.
What you can do:
- Where possible, turn off ad personalization in settings.
- Encourage your child to try a variety of activities so AI doesn’t box them into a single interest.
- Review app settings regularly to reset or adjust personalization.
4. Undermining Learning - Helpful or Harmful?
AI can be a great study companion, helping with flashcards, practice problems, or explanations. But if children rely on it too much, they may miss out on building critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
What you can do:
- Set clear rules: AI is for helping brainstorm, practicing, or explaining, not for completing homework.
- Pair AI tools with offline learning like writing assignments, hands-on projects, or discussions.
- Talk to your child about how AI works so they understand its limits.
5. The Challenge of Assessing AI Safety
Unlike traditional apps, AI responses can be unpredictable. A chatbot may give safe answers 99 times out of 100, but one response might be wildly inappropriate. Biases and hidden risks are also hard to spot without large-scale testing.
What you can do:
- Introduce AI tools slowly, with supervision.
- Teach your child to question what AI says, don’t over-trust it.
- Rely on trusted reviewers (like Educational App Store or Common Sense Media) that test and evaluate apps for both learning value and safety.
What about ChatGPT and other AI chatbots?
While this guide focuses on AI-powered apps, many parents also ask whether tools like ChatGPT are safe for kids.
Chatbots can help with homework and explanations, but they also have limits:
- Accuracy: Answers can sound confident but still be wrong or misleading.
- Content filters: Most platforms filter results, but no system is perfect.
- Over-trusting: Children may assume AI is always right without checking.
Tips for safer use at home and school:
- Supervise use, especially for younger children.
- Encourage critical thinking (“Let’s double-check this together”).
- Use kid-friendly platforms that add extra safety filters.
Used thoughtfully, AI chatbots can be another learning tool, but they should support, not replace, real teachers and parents.
Protecting Children from AI Risks
AI is a powerful tool for education, creativity, and exploration. While AI offers substantial teaching and learning benefits, AI also presents unique risks that must be managed. But like any technology, it needs boundaries and supervision, especially for children.
Parents and teachers play the most important role: guiding how kids use AI, setting limits, and teaching healthy habits. Developers need to be transparent about risks and safeguards, and trusted reviewers like Educational App Store will continue to test apps so families can make informed choices.