The Year Machines Started Talking to Our Kids

The Year Machines Started Talking to Our Kids

(A personal guide for parents from someone who usually writes about sports)

A few nights ago, my nine-year-old asked for help with a school project.
We sat down with markers and notebooks, ready to start, when he said: “It’s okay, Dad. ChatGPT already explained it better.”

He wasn’t trying to be funny, he was just stating a fact. And in that quiet moment, I realized something that hit harder than any stat or report I’ve read this year: we’re already living in the first generation where machines truly talk to our kids.

A Short Timeout from Sports

I usually write about innovation in sports performance, fan engagement, the future of technology.
But today, I want to take a short timeout from the field.

Because before we talk about AI in stadiums, we need to talk about it in our living rooms.
Before we think about how athletes adapt, we should ask how our children are adapting and what role we play in that.

The truth is, the same leadership muscles we use in sports awareness, patience, resilience are the ones we now need as parents. And unlike any other game, this one doesn’t have a replay button.

If we don’t guide our children’s relationship with AI now, a few things will happen fast:
They’ll start trusting the machine’s confidence more than our perspective, they’ll learn that thinking is optional, and they’ll get used to validation without connection.

That’s not science fiction. That’s next Tuesday.

The goal isn’t to block technology, it’s to build awareness around it.
To help our kids understand how it works and how to stay human while using it.

Over the past months, I’ve been collecting a few lessons, small things that I believe can help me as a father of young kids growing up in this new world. And I have a feeling they might serve you too.

1. Bring AI Into the Open

Kids don’t need protection from AI they need context. Ask them to show you how they use it, what they asked, and what it answered. Make AI part of the family conversation, not a secret behind closed tabs. When we explore together, we teach transparency. When we hide or forbid, we teach avoidance.  And avoidance never builds understanding  in life, in sport, or in parenting

2. Teach the “Purpose Rule”

Before using AI, ask a simple question: “What are you trying to achieve?” If the goal is to learn, practice, or explore, perfect. If it’s to replace effort, emotion, or interaction, pause.

AI that amplifies human ability is good.  AI that replaces it isn’t.

Our job isn’t to say yes or no to technology. It’s to help our children know when and why to use it.

3. Model Curiosity, Not Control

We don’t need to outsmart the algorithm. We just need to show our kids how to keep thinking for themselves. Say it out loud: “I’m not sure, let’s find out together.”

When children see that we’re learning too, they stop expecting perfection and start practicing curiosity.  That’s the moment they begin to develop real digital maturity, not because of what we told them, but because of how we showed up.

4. Build Emotional Fitness

AI never gets frustrated. But humans do, and that’s our advantage.

Our kids don’t need a world without friction.  They need to know how to handle it.

Let them struggle a little. Let them fix mistakes instead of deleting them. Help them see that progress  whether in coding, math, or life  comes from repetition, not shortcuts. That’s not just emotional health. That’s resilience training.

5. Keep One Zone Human

Create at least one space in your home that’s AI-free:
Dinner. Bedtime. A walk. Not as punishment, but as practice. A reminder that not every question needs an instant answer, and not every silence needs to be filled.

Because connection, like endurance, is built slowly.

6. Stay in the Conversation

You don’t need to know every new app or every AI update.
You just need to stay involved.

The moment you step out of the conversation, the machine steps in.

Ask questions, even the simple ones:

“How did it make you feel?”
“Do you think it’s right?”
“Would you say that to a person?”

Those questions don’t just teach ethics, they teach empathy.

Back to the Field

When my son told me the machine explained it better, I didn’t see a threat. I saw an invitation. An invitation to stay curious, to stay connected, and to model what it means to think, not just to consume.

In sports, we teach that true growth comes from friction, not comfort. At home, it’s the same.
Our job isn’t to out-coach the algorithm, it’s to keep showing up with heart, awareness, and presence. Because whether we’re raising kids or leading teams,  people don’t remember the instructions we gave. They remember how we made them feel while learning.

Final Whistle

AI will keep evolving.  But empathy, curiosity, and courage, those are ours to teach.

So yes, I’ll get back to writing about sports next week. But for now, this one’s for every parent who’s learning to lead through change and doing it with love, one honest conversation at a time.

With love for sports and innovation

AR