Talking to your kids about AI risk

What young people actually think about AI

Two large US surveys give a picture. Neither asks children directly whether AI scares them.

• -Teens are more hopeful about their own lives than about society. In a Pew Research Center survey of 1,458 US teens (ages 13 to 17) and their parents in autumn 2025, 36% of teens expected AI to have a positive impact on them personally over the next 20 years and 15% a negative one. Asked about society, 31% expected a positive impact and 26% a negative one.6
• -Their worries are mostly practical. Among teens who expected AI to be bad for society, about a third (34%) mentioned people relying on it too much or losing critical thinking or creativity. A quarter mentioned AI taking people's jobs. About one in ten said AI is a threat or open to misuse.6 "Robots taking over" is in there, but it is not the main worry.
• -Many kids haven't talked about AI with an adult. In Common Sense Media's 2026 census of 1,204 children aged 9 to 17, more than 4 in 10 said no parent or guardian had ever talked with them about AI safety. Only a third knew AI cannot reliably tell fact from fiction, and only a quarter thought AI would have a positive impact on their lives; most expected a mixed one.7
• -Worries about dependence, creativity and privacy are common. In a separate Common Sense Media survey of 12- to 17-year-olds and their parents, 6 in 10 teens agreed that by the time they are adults, people will be so dependent on AI they won't be able to function without it. 62% worried about AI's effect on creativity and 76% about AI collecting their information without their knowledge. Kids were more optimistic than parents: over half of kids, against under half of parents, believed AI will benefit society.8

What this means for the conversation: your child may be less worried about doom than you are, and more worried about school, jobs, fakes and privacy. Asking first (below) tells you which.

Start by asking, not explaining

The health and child-development sources start in the same place.

• -Ask what they've heard. The AAP says that "no matter what age or developmental stage your child is, you can start by asking what they've already heard", then what questions they have and how they feel.1 UNICEF says the same: ask "what they know and how they are feeling".2 With AI, they may have heard it from a video, a game, a friend or a chatbot itself.
• -Pick a calm moment. UNICEF suggests a time when your child is likely to feel comfortable talking, "such as during a family meal", and to "avoid talking about the topic just before bedtime".2 A car ride or a walk can work too.
• -Be honest at their level. The NHS page on scary news (advice from the Mental Health Foundation) says to "be truthful about what has happened" at a level your child can understand, to let them know "it is normal to be concerned", and to "encourage them to ask questions".3
• -It's OK not to know. UNICEF: "it's OK to not have the answer to every question."2 With AI this is literally true: nobody knows how it turns out. You can look things up together.
• -Watch your own worry. Children "will pick up on your own response to the news", says UNICEF, so "try not to overshare any fears with your child."2 If AI keeps you up at night, look after that separately: see AI anxiety: what helps and Is it normal to be scared of AI?
• -End with care. Remind them "that you care and that you're there to listen" whenever they're worried.2 The AAP's suggested core message is: "It's okay if these things bother you. We are here to support each other."1

By age

Common Sense Media splits its advice on explaining the news into three age bands.5 The AI notes under each are our application of it.

7 and under

Keep frightening news "out of range of young eyes", tell them "your family is safe, loved, and valued", and remember that "distraction and physical comfort can go a long way".5 The AAP adds that even young children need accurate information and that you shouldn't be "too vague".1 For AI: one or two plain sentences are enough. "AI is a computer program that can talk and make pictures. Grown-ups are working on keeping it safe." Then a hug, or a game.

8 to 12

Consider your child's "maturity and temperament", be "available for questions and conversation", ask what they know and correct mistakes, and talk about how news outlets compete for attention.5 For AI: this is a good age to explain that scary headlines get more clicks, that films about evil robots are made up, and that chatbots can be confidently wrong (only a third of 9- to 17-year-olds knew this in Common Sense's census7).

13 and up

Find out what they've absorbed, "try not to dismiss their opinions", and if you disagree with a source, explain why so they learn to judge sources themselves.5 For AI: teens may have read real arguments about AI risk. Take them seriously. You can share what experts agree and disagree on (our glossary and what is p(doom)? help).

The AAP also suggests keeping young children away from "repetitive graphic images and sounds" and, with older children, previewing news coverage before you watch it together.1

Simple answers to questions kids ask

These are suggested wordings, not quotes from any expert or source. Adjust them to your child's age and to what you actually believe. Most link to a page you can read first.

"Will robots take over the world?"

"Not today, and maybe never. The robots in films are made up. Real AI is computer programs, and people still decide how they're used. Some scientists do worry about AI getting too powerful one day, and lots of people work on keeping it safe. It's OK to wonder about it. You can always ask me."

Read first: Is AI takeover possible? Glossary: AI takeover, loss of control.

"Will there be jobs when I grow up?"

"Yes. Jobs will change, like they did when computers and the internet arrived, and some jobs will look different by the time you're grown up. Nobody knows exactly how. Being curious, good with people and good at learning new things will help whatever happens."

Read first: check how exposed a job is to AI.

"Is AI dangerous?"

"It can be used in harmful ways, like making fake pictures or tricking people, and that's why we're careful with it. Most AI you see helps with ordinary things. Clever people disagree about how risky it could get in the future, and many are working on it."

Read first: Is AI dangerous?

"Are we all going to die because of AI?"

"No one knows the future, but this isn't something that's happening to us now. Some experts think it's a real risk worth working on, others think it's very unlikely. Either way, it's grown-ups' job to work on it, not yours, and we're safe today."

Read first: Will AI kill us all? and What is p(doom)?

"Is AI alive? Does it have feelings?"

"Most scientists don't think today's AI has feelings, even when it sounds like it does. It's very good at copying how people talk. Some people are studying whether that could ever change."

Read first: Could AI be conscious?

"Can I believe what the chatbot tells me?"

"Not always. It can sound sure and still be wrong, and it can't always tell what's true from what's made up. Check important things with a person or a trusted website."

Background: only a third of kids aged 9 to 17 knew AI cannot reliably tell fact from fiction.7

When to get help

Worry is normal. The NHS says that "just like adults, children and young people feel worried and anxious at times" and that many worries "are a normal part of growing up".4

The AAP lists signs to watch for after frightening news, including sleep problems, physical complaints, changes in behaviour, and "undue sadness, depression, anxiety or fears". If you are concerned, it suggests talking to "your child's pediatrician, your child's teacher, or a mental health professional", and adds: "Don't wait for symptoms" before starting the conversation.1

The NHS says that if a child's anxiety "is severe, persists and interferes with their everyday life, it's a good idea to get some help", and that "a visit to a GP is a good place to start". It also suggests talking to the school if anxiety is affecting your child's school life.4

In the UK, the NHS points parents to the Young Minds parent helpline on 0808 802 5544 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm).4

If you're worried a child may be at risk of abuse, the NHS points to Childline (0800 1111) or the NSPCC (0808 800 5000).3

If you think your child is in danger or in crisis, contact emergency services. For crisis lines in the US, UK and other countries, see Get support.