Nothing has ever been as transformative to the education system as the rapid growth and widespread adoption of generative AI tools like ChatGPT. Here, we look at how parents can adapt to the changing landscape of learning and help children use AI tools responsibly to assist learning, rather than obstruct it.

How AI is Changing Learning for Students

Did you ever wish you could click your fingers and magically complete an assignment? In the age of AI, this superpower is a reality. Essays that once took hours of in-depth research can be generated in seconds, and lightbulb moments are available at the push of a button.

​According to a global survey by the Digital Education Council, 86% of students surveyed use AI in their studies, and 1 in 4 use it every day. AI tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly offer 24/7 homework assistance and can help explain difficult learning concepts concisely. However, educators and parents alike worry that students may develop an overreliance on AI, fail to learn key concepts like grammar, and even use it to create entire assignments. In essence, students who lean on it too heavily may lose the ability to think critically and miss out on true learning.

Teaching in the Age of AI

Students aren’t the only ones using AI in schools. Teachers who took part in a 2025 study cited the positives of the technology, such as creating personalized lesson plans for individual students and accessing difficult-to-find academic resources. However, they also expressed concerns about the accuracy of AI-generated content (referred to as “hallucinated content”) and about students losing essential skills such as critical thinking.

Teachers who use AI weekly can reclaim just under 6 hours each week by using it for administrative tasks, lesson planning, and creating worksheets, ​according to a report by the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup.

​What does this mean for students? It could mean teachers have more time to focus on other aspects of learning, like creating individualized lesson plans in an instant and developing a more unique curriculum. However, the same study found that only 14% of teachers use AI for one-on-one instruction. Just as students can use AI to create entire assignments, teachers could become overreliant. Using tools to create all lessons and grade papers may reduce meaningful interactions with students and lead to misinformation.

How Parents Can Help

The adoption of AI tools has outpaced most schools’ ability to create guidelines for their use. To prevent a drop-off in critical thinking, lessons will need to shift to more open-ended questions, debate, and reflections on work to ensure concepts are understood and not simply generated by AI.

Parents can help in the meantime by teaching responsible use of AI. Traditional educational tools, like a calculator or a dictionary, were used to assist students with their work, and AI should be used in the same way. The 30% rule is a good guideline to follow. This means using AI for only about 30% of a project, leaving the majority of the effort, research, and creativity to the student. This could mean explaining a math problem rather than just spitting out the answer, or helping brainstorm an essay outline, but not writing the final draft. This rule could be part of your family's AI values, which you can collaboratively identify before the school year.

Communicating with your child isn’t always easy but ensuring they feel comfortable being honest about which assignments they have used AI on is essential for your relationship and their education. Make sure your child also understands that AI is not always accurate, and fact-checking has never been more important.

In addition to frank discussions, parental controls like Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link can monitor app installations and screen time.

For more ways and tips to deal with AI, make sure to register for The Children’s Trust Parent Club, which includes specialized workshops, general parenting skill building for children of all ages, and a great way to meet other parents. Visit TheChildrensTrust.org/ParentClub for more information and to find a workshop near you.