Today's Edition
AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
As artificial intelligence becomes a familiar part of children’s daily lives, experts and parents in the UAE are focusing on how education, trust and open conversation can help young people use the technology confidently and responsibly.
The technology is opening new possibilities for learning, creativity and problem-solving. At the same time, experts warn that its growing presence across platforms carries risks of emotional dependence, exposure to deepfakes and overreliance on AI for schoolwork.
“Children are already interacting with AI in games, search engines, social media platforms and dedicated AI companions,” Vasudha Khandeparkar, an expert in AI and data, told Aletihad.
She explained that many young users may also not recognise how frequently AI influences their online experiences, which is why the technology’s expanding role in children’s lives makes guidance a shared responsibility rather than a matter for families alone.
“Many children won’t even realise they are engaging with AI. That is why awareness and education are just as important as regulation,” she said.
“This is a societal issue that calls for the participation of parents, schools, tech corporations and legislators; it is no longer merely a technical problem.”
Supporting Learning and Human Connection
One of the main concerns centres on AI companions designed to hold conversations, provide reassurance and simulate emotional support. Parents fear that some children may begin turning to such tools instead of building relationships with relatives and friends.
“Children naturally seek connection and companionship. I worry that instead of developing genuine connections with friends and family, some people would start depending on AI for emotional support,” Umm Khalfan Al Ali, a 37-year-old mother of two, told Aletihad.
“Technology will never be able to completely replace human interaction.”
Parents also raised concerns that children could become too dependent on AI for assignments and problem-solving, weakening the patience and persistence needed to learn independently.
Umm Ali Almahri, a 36-year-old mother, believes that children still need opportunities to work through finding answers themselves, even when AI can provide solutions within seconds.
“AI can be a useful teaching tool, but kids still need to learn how to solve problems on their own,” she told Aletihad.
“They can lose the curiosity and fortitude that come with learning by hard work if they start relying on AI for all of their answers.”
The same ability to think independently becomes important when children encounter fabricated material online. Khandeparkar pointed out that deepfakes can make this more difficult because manipulated images, videos and audio often appear genuine.
“Kids are not able to distinguish between reality and fiction. The problem with deepfakes is that they frequently appear real. We run the risk of producing a generation that either believes everything or doesn’t trust anything if we don’t encourage young people to challenge what they see,” she explained.
Building Confidence Through Education
Khandeparkar pointed out that families, schools, technology companies and policymakers all have a role in helping young people develop the skills needed to navigate an increasingly AI-supported world.
“This cannot be resolved by a single party working alone. Building trust, capacity and responsible digital behaviour through collaboration among all stakeholders is the most successful strategy,” she said.
Khandeparkar argues that children benefit most when they understand how the technology works and recognise its limits. Schools can support this process by encouraging inquiry and independent thought alongside the use of new technology.
“In a world where AI can provide information instantly, the ability to ask ‘why?’, ‘how do we know?’ and ‘what evidence supports this?’ becomes increasingly valuable.”
That approach also applies at home, where Khandeparkar said parents can guide children without monitoring every digital interaction. Helping them understand what AI can do, where it can be useful and when it may produce inaccurate or misleading information can build confidence without undermining trust.
“The answer is not surveillance. It is education and trust. Parents do not need to know every conversation their child has with AI, but they should help them understand how AI works, where it can be useful and where it can be wrong,” she explained.
Khandeparkar added that AI literacy should go beyond learning how to operate particular tools — children also need to question information, compare sources and consider the evidence behind what they see.
“Technology will continue to evolve, but the ability to question, evaluate and reason will always remain relevant. Those skills are what help children use AI effectively and responsibly.”
