Growing Up With AI Means Parenting With New Questions

Raising “AI-native” children introduces questions earlier generations of parents did not face. In this Portland KATU conversation, Matt Britton examines childhood, relationships and learning when a chatbot can become an everyday source of answers.

The discussion draws a comparison with “Her” and considers the emotional connections people may form with AI. Matt explores both the appeal of conversational support and the concern that children could treat a system as an unquestioned authority or confidant.

He also connects parenting with changes in work. Critical thinking, creativity and continued learning are central to the way he describes preparing children for greater automation. Keeping adults involved is part of that preparation.

Matt’s comments in the interview include:

“For Gen Alpha, developing intimate relationships with AI chatbots is becoming more the norm than the exception.”

“Keeping AI away from your kids is not going to set them up for success in the future.”

“You can never replace the emotional connection with a real human, but AI offers access, anonymity, and memory that traditional therapists can’t match.”

“We’re not going backward. AI is starting to impact every part of our culture and society.”

The conversation draws on Generation AI to examine what families, educators and businesses should consider as these tools become more familiar. The parenting task is to make room for useful exploration while helping children keep their own judgment in the conversation.