Part of our AI for Families resources for educators developed as part of the online professional development course The AI-Empowered Teacher, this family engagement activity presents situations where both choices on whether to use AI might feel useful or uncomfortable. These examples can be used to help families explore their values and boundaries for their relationship with technology.

Activity

As AI becomes more accessible to families and students, decisions about how and when to use it aren’t always simple. This activity presents thought-provoking situations where both choices might feel useful—or uncomfortable. Use these to explore your values, boundaries, and hopes for your child’s relationship with technology.

1. Read each pair of options and choose the one that feels more aligned with your values or current practice.
2. If you feel unsure or torn between both, make note of that.
3. After you’ve made your selections, reflect or talk with someone in your family:
   • Which scenarios felt hard to decide?
   • What do your choices say about how you want to raise or support your child in a digital world?

Choose: This or That?

1. You want to plan your next vacation itinerary.
   • Use AI to generate a full travel plan
   • Research and plan everything on your own
2. You want to write a birthday message to a close friend.
   • Have AI help you write something warm and personal
   • Write it entirely in your own words
3. You want to get help making a big personal decision.
   • Ask AI for advice and perspectives
   • Talk it through with a trusted friend or mentor
4. You want to pick a book to read next.
   • Ask AI for personalized recommendations
   • Ask someone who knows your interests well
5. Your child wants to use AI to create an essay.
   • Let them use AI to help craft and refine it for clarity and tone
   • Insist that the essay reflect their unfiltered, personal voice — even if it’s less polished
6. Your child wants to use an AI chatbot for emotional support when they feel stressed or anxious.
   • Allow it as a nonjudgmental space they can access anytime
   • Encourage them to talk with a trusted adult or school counselor instead
7. You want to monitor your teen’s phone use and online activity.
   • Use an AI-powered app that flags potential risks and concerning behavior
   • Talk directly with your child to build trust and awareness without surveillance tools
8. Your child wants to use a popular AI chatbot that you know isn’t designed for their age group.
   • Allow them to use it with some supervision so they can explore and learn
   • Set a clear boundary and suggest an age-appropriate alternative or activity

About This Activity

This resource was developed with support from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) through a collaboration with the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and the Kentucky Department of Education, New Mexico Public Education Department, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and Wyoming Department of Education. The materials reflect shared priorities across the four states while allowing schools and districts to adapt them for their local communities.