AI for Kids

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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 and best AI podcast for kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”

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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 and best AI podcast for kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”

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

Send us Fan Mail
AI can feel like a mind that knows you, agrees with you, and never gets tired, which is exactly why we need to talk about how it shows up in real life. I’m joined by Dr. Tiffany Petricini , who studies AI and relationships, and Dr. Sarah Zipf, who researches technology in education, to unpack what kids actually need to know about AI beyond the hype and scary movie plots.

We get into why technology is never neutral, why there are always benefits and disadvantages, and why schools should start with one grounding question before adopting any AI tool: what is it for? We also challenge a big myth about “digital natives.” Being great on a phone does not automatically mean strong computer literacy, and that gap matters when AI tools enter the classroom. Along the way, we talk AI literacy for kids, digital citizenship, and how families can ask better questions instead of letting fear make decisions for them.

Then we tackle AI chatbots and AI friends head-on. AI can sound comforting because it responds instantly and tells you what you want to hear, but it cannot be a real friend, and it cannot replace trusted adults or real peers. We break down why “AI is math” helps demystify what’s happening, how bias can sneak into AI outputs, and how play-based learning (like cooking recipes and hands-on games about algorithms) can teach big ideas without adding more screen time.

If this conversation helps your family, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more parents and kids can find it. What is one rule you think every household should have for using AI?
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 and best AI podcast for kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”

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

Send us Fan Mail
A kids’ video can be bright, catchy, and totally wrong. We’re seeing more AI-generated videos for kids show up on YouTube and tablets, and some of them slip mistakes into the middle where a quick parent check might miss it. That matters because “small” errors can teach unsafe ideas, confuse real-world rules, and spread misinformation while looking like normal cartoons and sing-alongs.

We break down what’s going on in plain language: how AI can create videos fast, why some creators push quantity over quality, and why automated content moderation does not always catch problems in time. If you’ve been wondering about YouTube Kids safety, parental controls, or how to build media literacy for kids, this conversation gives you a clear starting point. We also share a simple example of how a video can teach the opposite of a basic safety lesson, even though everything looks friendly on the surface.

Most important, we talk directly to kids about a real superpower: noticing when something feels off. Weird movement, odd voices, sentences that don’t make sense, or a lesson that clashes with real life are all signals to pause, pick something else, and tell a trusted adult. That one habit supports digital safety and critical thinking in a world filled with AI-generated content.

If this helps your family, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube, share the episode with a parent or teacher, and leave a review so more people can learn how to spot these videos faster. What’s the strangest “kids” video you’ve ever seen?
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 and best AI podcast for kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”

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

Send us Fan Mail
AI can do homework-level tasks in seconds, which is exactly why so many parents and teachers feel uneasy. After a short break, we’re back with a solo check-in that tackles the question showing up all over parent message boards: how much AI is too much for kids, and what does “healthy” AI use actually look like when school and screens are already competing for attention?

We dig into a concept called cognitive offloading, where we hand our thinking over to a machine and slowly lose the mental “muscle” that comes from struggling through a hard problem. I use a simple analogy: AI can either be autopilot, where the tool flies the plane and the learner checks out, or it can be a copilot, where your child stays in control and the AI supports with directions, hints, and explanations. That difference matters for learning, writing, and long-term critical thinking.

You’ll leave with three practical rules you can use right away at home or in the classroom: try first and use AI second, prompt for tutoring instead of asking the bot to do the work, and always fact-check because large language models can hallucinate. We also talk about why this isn’t just a kids issue, how adults can slide into the same habits, and why the best approach is sitting alongside kids to build real AI literacy without giving up curiosity or creativity.

Subscribe for more parent-friendly AI guidance, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more families can find it. What’s one boundary you want to set for AI use this week?
Solo check-in from AI for Kids for parents & teachers: AI can do homework-level tasks in seconds, and that’s raising questions about over-reliance. This episode explains why that matters and gives 3 practical rules to keep kids’ thinking strong while using AI, at home or school. Clear, screen-friendly guidance for kids (ages 4–12) and the adults who support them.
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 and best AI podcast for kids, parents, teachers, and families.
Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”

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