What Every Dad Needs to Know About the Tech That’s Changing Their World

We grew up learning how to ride bikes, fix broken remotes, and sneak in an extra 30 minutes of Nintendo without getting caught. Our kids? They’re growing up with voice assistants, AI-generated homework help, and deepfakes.

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a buzzword, it is real and it’s shaping how our children learn, communicate, think, and even see themselves. 

As dads, we don’t need to be tech experts, but we do need to understand what’s coming and more importantly, how to guide our kids through it.

What you need to know:

1. AI Is Already in Your Kid’s Life

Before we can parent through it, we have to spot it.

Here’s where AI is already showing up:

• YouTube and TikTok algorithms deciding what they watch next
  
• Voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google) responding to questions
  
• AI tools like ChatGPT helping with schoolwork
  
• Smart toys that “learn” from how kids interact
  
• Video games with AI-driven behavior and personalized experiences
• Iphone/google play apps – chatbots about your kids favorite shows, and other things…
  

ACTION STEP: First, take 15 minutes and ask your kid, “What apps do you use every day?” Then, Google or lol… use an ai to find out whether those apps use AI. You’ll be surprised.

Recently, I heard my son laughing from the playroom. The TV was off, the PS5 wasn’t on, so I walked in to see what was so funny. He was sitting quietly with the iPad, grinning. I sat next to him, and he showed me the app he was using. It was something called “Polybuzz” or “Poly AI.”

It’s a chatbot app that lets users interact with AI-powered characters based on popular games and TV shows. At first, it seemed harmless. But within a few taps, I saw the content starting to drift into territory that was definitely not PG-13. I quickly found a reason for him to put it away and later, we had a real conversation about it and why I didn’t think it was appropriate and what concerns I had.

The educator in me turned this into a good teaching moment, not just about this app, but about how some AI tools are designed to look like fun, safe entertainment for kids… but aren’t built with kids in mind.

Which brings us to the next point.

2. Don’t Ban AI: Teach Them to Use It Responsibly

The worst move? Pretending AI doesn’t exist or banning it outright.

Instead, teach your kid to treat AI like a tool, not a brain replacement.

• Homework? Use AI to brainstorm, summarize, or understand—not to copy.
  
• Creative writing? Use it for inspiration, not final drafts.
  
• Search questions? Compare AI responses with real sources to practice skepticism.
  

ACTION STEP: Sit with your kid and try ChatGPT or another AI tool together. Ask it something like “Explain gravity like I’m 10” or “Give me three healthy lunches I can pack for school.” Then discuss the response.

My son is really into praying mantises. One day, after getting a male mantis, he told me he wanted a female so he could breed them and sell the babies. As a dad, I was honestly proud, he wasn’t just curious, he was thinking like a little entrepreneur.

So I said, “If you’re serious, let’s find out what it would take to actually do that.”

We sat down together and used ChatGPT and Perplexity to ask, “How can a 9-year-old in Texas start a business selling praying mantises?” AI delivered. He got a step-by-step guide on how to breed them, handle care, price the nymphs, and even market them responsibly.

It didn’t stop there. The AI even helped him write a simple elevator pitch, which he ended up sending to his grandparents. They were so impressed they gave him some “seed money” to get started.

Now he’s fired up and taking real steps to launch his little business. It was a perfect example of using AI as a tool, not to replace effort, but to empower curiosity and turn it into action.

3. Teach Them What AI Can’t Do

AI can do a lot, but it can’t replace character, effort, or real-life experience. Kids need to hear that.

Let your child know:

• AI can write an essay, but it won’t teach you to think deeply
  
• AI can recommend a song, but it can’t feel joy with you when you hear it
  
• AI can draw a picture, but it can’t see the world through your eyes
  

This is your moment to lead with values over convenience.

ACTION STEP: Have a “dad talk” about what makes human thinking different. Use sports, art, relationships, or anything they love to make the point real.

4. Show Them How to Spot BS (Because AI Lies Sometimes)

AI isn’t always accurate. It can hallucinate, make up sources, or repeat biased content.

Teach your kid:

• Don’t trust one answer—cross-check
  
• Just because it sounds smart doesn’t mean it’s right
  
• Look for dates, sources, and contradictions
  

ACTION STEP: Show your kid a simple AI-generated response and find a flaw in it together. Google the claim. Ask: “Does this make sense?” That’s digital literacy 101.

5. Use AI to Be a Better Dad (Yes, Really)

Let’s flip the script: AI isn’t just something to guard against, it can actually help you be more present, more prepared, and less overwhelmed.

Try:

• Meal planning or grocery lists using AI
  
• Crafting bedtime stories with your kid’s name in them
  
• Creating a weekly routine that includes family time, chores, and play
  
• Getting fast answers to random dad questions like “Is this toy safe?” or “How do I unclog a drain?”
  

ACTION STEP: Pick one problem that frustrates you as a dad (planning dinners, fixing stuff, running errands), and ask AI to help solve it.
Example prompt: “Give me 5 healthy dinners my picky kid might actually eat, using stuff I probably already have at home.”

I used AI to totally change how I eat and plan ahead for the week.

A few months ago, I realized I needed to start eating better. High blood pressure runs in my family, and I wanted to do what I could now to stay healthy.

So I went to AI, not Google, but ChatGPT  and typed something like this:

“Give me a weekly meal plan that’s low in sodium and full of veggies and spices that are proven to lower blood pressure. Make it taste good and be realistic for a busy person.”

In seconds, it gave me:

• A full meal plan with recipes
  
• A grocery list with everything I needed
  
• Even optional prices if I wanted to budget!
  

And it didn’t just throw spinach at me, it gave variety, explained the health benefits of each ingredient, and made the meals easy to follow.

Here’s the cool part: It also let me customize the plan. I could say, “Add more fish,” or “No cabbage,” and it adjusted everything instantly.

Now, every Sunday, I just use this template:

“Make me a [low sodium / plant-based / muscle-building] meal plan for the week. Include tasty vegetables, helpful spices, and ask me if I want a grocery list.”

Then I tweak it to fit my week and hit the store.It’s like having a personal chef and nutritionist in my pocket, and it actually makes me look forward to cooking.

Final Thought:

AI will keep evolving. But your role as a dad? That doesn’t change.

You’re still the one shaping their worldview. You’re still the voice they’ll remember when they face tough choices. And in a world where machines are getting smarter, the value of a wise, steady, human dad just went up.

So you don’t have to be a programmer. You just have to be present, curious, and willing to learn and grow with them.

Bonus Download

Want a quick cheat sheet?
→ [Download: “Dad’s 1-Page Guide to AI for Kids” – Tools, Tips & Talking Points]