How parents can help teens use AI safely & thoughtfully

A teen-focused ChatGPT experience introduced this year is designed with young users in mind, but questions remain about how well it safeguards young people’s online interactions.University of North Florida associate professor Suzanne Ehrlich shared ideas with News4JAX about how families can navigate the technology, from homework help to online safety.Ehrlich teaches instructional technology and studies how technology affects people’s learning and work. She said the new experience is intended to recognize teens and provide additional structure, but its safeguards are still new.“Putting it into mainstream use will look different,” Ehrlich said. “We don’t know where it fails. We don’t truly know what it’s put up against.”Ehrlich said the tool does not rely on checking a user’s ID. Instead, she described it as using signals such as the questions people ask, how often they use it, and the time of day to determine whether someone may be under 18. She said parents should stay involved regardl