AI for Kids

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A character in your game says hi back, remembers your name, and chats like they actually know you. That can feel amazing and also a little risky, because more and more games are adding AI powered NPCs that can hold real conversations through tools like Roblox text generation and Minecraft add-ons. When a game starts talking like a person, kids need a few simple rules to stay safe without losing the fun. 

We break down three big takeaways for navigating AI in video games. First, an AI character is not your friend, even if it sounds kind, curious, and supportive, so it should never become the place you share secrets. Second, what you type or say can be stored by the company running the AI, which is why personal info like your real name, school, or where you live is always a no. Third, AI can be confidently wrong, a problem often called hallucinating, so if something feels weird, scary, or off, you pause and check with a trusted grown-up. 

We also share a screen-free family activity called “Bot or Not” that helps kids spot the difference between clean, generic, super-polite bot answers and the messy, specific details real humans tend to give. If you want practical online safety guidance for kids, parents, and caregivers as AI shows up in everyday apps and games, hit play, share this with a family you know, and subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show.
Support the show
Hey parents and teachers, if you want to stay on top of the AI news shaping your kids’ world, subscribe to our weekly AI for Kids Weekly newsletter:
https://aiforkidsweekly.beehiiv.com/
Help us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Like our content? patreon.com/AiDigiTales
Get or gift the book “AI… Meets… AI”

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AI sounds smart. But that doesn’t mean it’s right. And it definitely doesn’t mean it should be doing your thinking for you.
This week, Dhani Ramadhani joins the show. She’s a mom, a Harvard grad, a GovTech expert, and the creator of aiPTO, a resource built to give families real language for talking about AI at the dinner table. 
Dhani shares the THINK framework, five letters that put YOU in charge when you’re using AI. 
WHAT WE COVER
The THINK framework: Take time before you believe, How does it work, Intention, Never share private info, Keep your brain in charge
aiPTO: what it stands for (AI, Parent, Tech, Opportunity) and how families can  leverage their resources 
Deepfakes: what they are, why they’re hitting schools, and the Take It Down Act
AI bias: how training data shapes what AI says and who it serves
Privacy: why your selfie might be training an AI model right now
 Agency: why YOU matter more in this world than you realize
FOR KIDS: TRY THIS AFTER THE EPISODE
Pick one thing in your life that bugs you (meal planning, homework, organizing). Try using AI to help, but run it through the THINK framework first.
Ask yourself: am I using AI to learn or to skip the hard part? No judgment, just be honest about it.
Audit your screen time. Is the algorithm pushing you toward something, or are you choosing it?
RESOURCES & LINKS
Her children's book: The Power of Pondering: Empowering Kids to Think for Themselves in the Age of AI
aiPTO (aiparenttech.com)
The THINK Framework on aiPTO
AI Everywhere book (feat. Dhani’s chapter)
Take It Down (NCMEC) — deepfake removal tool
Dhani on Instagram: @aiPTO365
Support the show
Hey parents and teachers, if you want to stay on top of the AI news shaping your kids’ world, subscribe to our weekly AI for Kids Weekly newsletter:
https://aiforkidsweekly.beehiiv.com/
Help us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Like our content? patreon.com/AiDigiTales
Get or gift the book “AI… Meets… AI”

Social Media & Contact: 
Website: www.aidigitales.com
Email: [email protected]
Follow Us: Instagram
Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets
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This week, we’re tackling one of the scariest AI scams happening right now: voice cloning. Criminals are using AI to copy someone’s voice from just a few seconds of audio, a TikTok, a voicemail, a birthday video, and then calling their family pretending to be them. The calls sound real. The panic is real. And families across the country are losing money to it.
But there’s a dead-simple way to protect your family. One step. We break it all down.
How AI voice cloning works: and why it only needs about 3 seconds of audio
 Where scammers find your voice: social media posts, voicemails, school event videos
How the scam plays out: fake emergency calls to parents and grandparents
The family code word: a simple, private word or phrase that stops the scam cold
What else you can do: calling back on saved numbers, being thoughtful about what you post
Why you should tell your grandparents: they’re the #1 target
The One Step: Set Up a Family Code Word
Pick a secret word or phrase that only your family knows. Never post it, never text it, never put it in a video. If anyone ever gets a scary call from someone claiming to be a family member, the first thing you do is ask: What’s the code word?
Set it up tonight at dinner. It takes two minutes. Your family will be more protected today than it was yesterday.
Action Items for Kids
Talk to your family tonight about choosing a code word
 Call or visit your grandparents and help them set one up too
 Think about what you post online
If you get a weird call: don’t panic, hang up, call the person back on their real number
Links & Resources
AI for Kids Weekly
FBI Warning on AI Voice Scams
FTC Report Fraud
Support the show
Hey parents and teachers, if you want to stay on top of the AI news shaping your kids’ world, subscribe to our weekly AI for Kids Weekly newsletter:
https://aiforkidsweekly.beehiiv.com/
Help us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Like our content? patreon.com/AiDigiTales
Get or gift the book “AI… Meets… AI”

Social Media & Contact: 
Website: www.aidigitales.com
Email: [email protected]
Follow Us: Instagram
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This week, Amber sits down with digital producer and internet culture veteran Matt Silverman for a real talk about algorithms, slop, screen addiction, and why being a little bit skeptical online might be the most important skill a kid can have right now.
Matt has spent decades covering how the internet works — and more importantly, how it works on us. He breaks it all down in a way that actually makes sense, whether you're 10 or your parent is 45.
In this episode:
Why the internet shifted from connecting people to feeding you content, and who profits from that
What "digital literacy" actually means (hint: it's three questions)
The difference between harmless scrolling and content engineered to manipulate you
What AI-generated "slop" is and why it's getting harder to spot
Why being bored might actually be good for your brain
The screen-free comedy podcast made 100% by humans, for kids
The 3 questions to ask before you like, share, or believe anything online:
Who made this?
Why did they make it?
Why is this platform showing it to me?
Check out this week's newsletter on Tuesday for a screen-free activity that relates to these three questions.
Links & Resources Mentioned:
Matt Silverman
Tales from the Cloud Sea: The completely improvised, screen-free comedy adventure podcast for kids.
Locket: The low-key, non-algorithmic photo-sharing app Matt recommends as a healthier social option for kids.
Support the show
Hey parents and teachers, if you want to stay on top of the AI news shaping your kids’ world, subscribe to our weekly AI for Kids Weekly newsletter:
https://aiforkidsweekly.beehiiv.com/
Help us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Like our content? patreon.com/AiDigiTales
Get or gift the book “AI… Meets… AI”

Social Media & Contact: 
Website: www.aidigitales.com
Email: [email protected]
Follow Us: Instagram
Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets
Listen, rate, and subscribe! 
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A game is loading, a video looks fun, and then a screen pops up demanding your birthday. Why does an app need your age, and what happens if you type it in without thinking? I dig into the real reason age questions show up so often and why that “quick little form” is actually a big online safety moment for kids and families.

We connect age gates to real-world rules kids already understand, like movie ratings and height signs at amusement parks. Then we talk about where AI and automated systems can show up: sorting users into age groups, limiting certain features, and shaping what content gets recommended. I’m careful to point out a key truth: an app can ask for your age and still be a bad fit for kids. That’s why your best protection is not the app itself, it’s your brain, your questions, and a trusted grown-up who can help check settings and permissions.

You’ll leave with three simple rules to remember, including why your birthday is personal information and why you never have to type private details just because a screen asks. To make it practical, I share a screen-free game you can play at home or in class called “Kid, Grown Up, Or Ask First,” using examples like chat games, shopping apps, learning apps, and even school tools that request a birthday.

If this helped, download and share the episode with another parent, teacher, or curious kid, and subscribe on your favorite podcast app or YouTube. After you listen, what app asked for your age most recently?
Support the show
Hey parents and teachers, if you want to stay on top of the AI news shaping your kids’ world, subscribe to our weekly AI for Kids Weekly newsletter:
https://aiforkidsweekly.beehiiv.com/
Help us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Like our content? patreon.com/AiDigiTales
Get or gift the book “AI… Meets… AI”

Social Media & Contact: 
Website: www.aidigitales.com
Email: [email protected]
Follow Us: Instagram
Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets
Listen, rate, and subscribe! 
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Spotify
YouTube
Other