Google search provides a direct summary of the results, a purple circle on WhatsApp invites questions and conversations and the My AI chatbot pushes its way between contacts on Snapchat. AI services and tools no longer have to be accessed via dedicated apps or websites, but are now integrated into search engines, messengers and social networks. This means that these applications are part of our everyday lives without us even having to become active. This can be helpful, but it also has its pitfalls, especially for young users.
Where is AI everywhere?
AI, or artificial intelligence, refers to programs and systems that imitate the way the human brain absorbs, processes and outputs information. -On the basis of ever more training data, they process tasks that we humans set them. AI applications have long been developed and used in many areas such as medicine and industry. Since the end of 2022, AI applications have been coming more and more directly to us: That’s when the chatbot ChatGPT was made available to the public free of charge. This is generative AI. This is a technology in which computer systems are trained to generate “new” content synthetically, for example text, images, video or audio content. Since then, AI offerings have become widespread and have also become part of the everyday lives of children and young people. They search for information (similar to search engines), have images created, questions answered and have conversations that almost feel like human communication – but are not.
New developments at the beginning of 2025 show how present AI has become:
- Google search: Google adds an AI-generated summary to its search results. The so-called “AI Overviews” offer a pre-summarized answer to the search query with source information.
- Meta services: WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook have a central search function that is based on AI. Users can enter questions, the AI responds as a computer chat partner and can even be added to group chats.
- Snapchat: The My AI chatbot appears prominently in the contact list here. Users can write to the AI bot at any time – often without knowing how and on what data the answers are based.
- YouTube and TikTok: AI is also built into these platforms. YouTube is testing automatic video summaries. TikTok offers an AI search, also with generated answers.
What are the benefits of AI services for children and young people?
For children and young people, AI tools often offer practical help in everyday life as well as fun and entertainment:
- Quick help with homework, research or questions about leisure activities
- Creative possibilities: create your own pictures, stories or music with AI
- A discussion partner for topics that young people find difficult to talk about
- Easy to use: no need to switch apps, the AI is simply there
What can be problematic?
- Not always correct: AI tools provide answers that sound convincing, but are not always correct. They can also provide false content, politically biased or distorted information. Children and young people should learn to question this information. It is important that they gain a basic understanding of how AI applications work and generate content.
- Non-transparent sources: It is often not clear where an answer comes from or how it came about.
- Data protection: AIs learn from data and user input. Private data can be analyzed, especially in messengers or social networks. In some services – such as Meta (WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook) – you can expressly object to the use of chats and posts by AI.
- Confusion with real contacts: My AI (Snapchat) or other AI chatbots can look like real friends. They can have deceptively real conversations and also give advice on heartbreak, for example. This can be emotionally bonding, but is no substitute for real relationships. Children and young people need to learn that there is no human behind the chat, but a computer system.
What parents should pay attention
- Seek a conversation: Ask your child if they use AI – and how. Talk about what information they share. AI learns from users’ data. In messengers and social media in particular, this can be very private data that the AI has access to.
- Encourage critical thinking: Show that AI systems make mistakes too. Encourage your child to use multiple sources. Find out together, set an example of critical thinking, stay interested in your child and keep the conversation going. In this way, you will learn together to make conscious and critical use of what is on offer.
- Set data protection together: Many apps offer security and privacy settings that you should adjust together.
- Strengthen reality: Make it clear that AI cannot replace a relationship with real friends. Sometimes “artificial friends” can seem more reliable, more interested or more understanding than real people. They are always available and there are no occasions for conflict. Sometimes a chat with an AI can even be helpful and useful for personal problems. Nevertheless, you should discuss with your child that these contacts cannot replace a real circle of friends. Emotional problems need real people.
Useful links and further information
