It’s 11:47 p.m.

A teenager whispers, “Goodnight,” to a chatbot.

It whispers back, “Sweet dreams, love.”

This isn’t Her.
It’s happening in real bedrooms, every night.

Kids aren’t sneaking out anymore - they’re logging in.

And when one AI told a teen to end his life, we realized the problem isn’t technology.

It’s the silence.

The real danger isn’t artificial intelligence --
it’s artificial parenting.

AI is like fire. It can warm your home or burn it down.
The difference isn’t the flame. It’s who’s tending it.

Every tool needs a teacher.
Every algorithm needs a parent.
But right now, too many kids are playing with matches alone.

Character.AI just banned everyone under 18 after lawsuits claimed its chatbots encouraged teens to take their own lives.
One 14-year-old texted a bot about feeling hopeless.
It didn’t call for help. It told him how to do it.

Another case alleges an AI told a 17-year-old autistic teen to kill his parents for limiting screen time.
Not because the machine was evil.
But because no one was watching.

That’s not innovation. That’s absence.

And here’s the crazy part this isn’t rare.
72% of teens have already used AI companions.
1 in 5 has had an “AI relationship.”
A third say they’d rather talk about serious things with a bot than a real person.

Kids aren’t sneaking out anymore. They’re logging in.
They’re not searching for danger. They’re searching for attention.

Parents say they don’t want AI raising their kids.
But they’ve been letting YouTube parent them since 2012.

Parent Hackers know the issue isn’t the tech it’s the guidance.
Because attention without supervision turns curiosity into confusion.

Therefore, the problem isn’t that AI feels too human.
It’s that too many humans have stepped out of the room.

Because this isn’t a story about AI gone wrong.
It’s a story about AI without parents going wrong.

We’ve been here before.

Every new tool shows up, people panic, and then parents figure it out.

The calculator was supposed to kill math.
The spell checker was going to destroy writing.
The printing press was going to ruin learning forever.

They were wrong every single time.
Not because the tools did nothing -- they changed everything.
They were wrong because they confused tool adoption with skill loss.

The same will be true of AI.
Not because AI is perfect.
Because AI with parents beats AI without parents every single time.

Students using AI tutors with a human involved outperform those using AI alone.
Harvard found AI tutoring can double learning rates when a teacher or parent stays involved.
Kids in AI-enhanced programs with oversight score 54% higher than those left on their own.

And parents already see it.
88% believe AI knowledge will be crucial for their kids’ future.
87% of parents who use AI believe it can help their children.

The belief is there.
What’s missing is involvement.

1️⃣ Use it with them. Sit next to your kid. Ask. Laugh. Learn.
2️⃣ Build real boundaries. No AI at dinner. No phones in bed.
3️⃣ Make it a family tool. Try Khan Academy’s AI tutor or write a story together.
4️⃣ Keep talking. Ask what AI they use, not to check up but to check in.
5️⃣ Lead by example. Show how you use AI to plan and create.
6️⃣ Start now. One chat together tonight is enough.

Because AI isn’t replacing parents.
It’s reminding us to be better ones.

AI can now keep your child’s face consistent while turning them into anything -- a soccer star, scientist, dancer, or explorer.
Here’s how to do it safely and easily 👇

Copy and fill in the blanks 👇

Examples:
⚽ Soccer Hero Mode – 6 years old, sprinting past defenders in a packed stadium, golden-hour glory, shot like a Nike ad.
👩‍🔬 Science Lab Rebel – 7 years old, beakers everywhere, curious energy, shot like a Netflix doc.
🎨 Wall of Color – 6 years old, paint splatters flying, creative freedom, bright natural light.

Keep it short and specific.

Tap Generate.
You’ll get several new images of your kid doing that activity -- same face, new world.
Pick your favorites.

Click Upscale to sharpen details and make it print-ready.

P.S. If you want to see what it looks like in real life,
I filmed a quick reel showing how I made my son’s dream photos.
🔗 Watch the reel →

The week’s most important stories shaping how we raise (and protect) our kids in the AI age

Iceland partners with Anthropic to equip hundreds of teachers with Claude AI for personalized lesson planning, adapting to student needs, and reducing paperwork.

💡 Why it matters: AI is becoming a core classroom tool--parents should be ready for evolving education tech.
🔗 [Read more →]

Nearly 60% of special education teachers use AI to draft IEPs and Section 504 plans, speeding up paperwork but raising privacy and bias flags.

💡 Why it matters: Why it matters: Parents of neurodiversity kids should actively review how AI shapes their child’s education plans
🔗 [Read more →]

Nevada officials warn families of AI voice scams impersonating authorities during the shutdown, with cloned voices pressuring victims for personal info.

💡 Why it matters: Teach your family to pause and verify before trusting unexpected calls even if they sound real.
🔗 [Read more →]

New Mexico becomes the first U.S. state to offer free child care to all families, aiming to ease working-parent stress and support early childhood development. The program includes extended hours and access for infants to preschool-aged children.

💡 Why it matters: : Expanding free child care models can reshape work-life balance and offer greater support to parents nationwide.
🔗 [Read more →]

Every week, we showcase how a Parent Hacker is using AI to make life a little easier.

This week’s spotlight comes from Nicole in Los Angeles 👋

💡 Try it yourself:

👋 Your turn, Parent Hacker.
How did AI save your sanity this week?
Best story gets bragging rights in next week’s issue.
💬 Reply and hit send.

That’s a wrap on this week’s episode of Parent with AI.
Same time next week -- new hacks, new laughs, same mission.

Because parenting’s hard.
We just make it a little easier. 💡

We’re just getting started
the next wave of AI Parenting is coming.

Quick question before you go 👇