Parents in the United Arab Emirates can now access a free online platform that provides practical guidance on how to act when their children use artificial intelligence for homework, seeking personal advice from chatbots, or creating and spreading fake images of real people.
The platform, named GenDubAI, was launched on Wednesday, October 14, by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) in collaboration with the Community Development Authority (CDA) and the Dubai Future Foundation.
Designed for families with children aged 8 to 15, the bilingual platform offers a step-by-step guide to help parents navigate various AI-related situations, including learning, creativity, and personal conversations.
Instead of simply explaining the principles of artificial intelligence, the platform focuses on everyday scenarios parents might encounter, offering conversation starters, safety tips, and family activities.
This initiative comes amid growing concern over the gap between how children use AI and the level of understanding their parents have of this technology.
One of the key features of the platform is a section dedicated to six situations that may arise in families when children use AI. These situations include:
- AI and homework: How to determine if children are truly learning or just accepting AI-generated answers.
- Seeking personal advice from AI: What parents should do when children start discussing their feelings, friendships, or worries with chatbots instead of family members.
- AI creation: How to encourage children to use AI for projects such as quizzes, songs, and apps without losing their own creative involvement.
- Over-reliance on AI: How to prevent children from becoming dependent on AI-generated answers instead of developing their own thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Fake images: How to react when children create, share, or receive AI-generated images of real people.
- Conflicting values: How parents can handle situations where AI generates responses that do not align with their family's values.
Each of these situations contains practical instructions on what parents can say, what they should know, how their approach might change depending on the child's age, and what joint activities they can try.
One scenario concerns children who turn to AI chatbots to discuss personal matters. The platform acknowledges that chatbots can be perceived as reliable companions because they respond to emotions and ask clarifying questions.
Rather than advising parents to confront their children or immediately demand access to their conversations, the platform encourages creating an environment where children feel comfortable opening up. One suggested conversation starter is: 'I read about kids talking to AI about personal things. Has that happened to you?'
If a child claims that AI understands them better, the guide advises parents not to argue immediately. Instead, they can ask what makes the interaction useful and explore ways to simplify communication at home. It is also recommended to respect children's privacy while maintaining an open line of communication, especially if children are reluctant to disclose what they discussed with the chatbot.
Another section gives recommendations to families facing fake images of real people created by AI. The platform advises parents to first determine whether the child created the image, shared something made by someone else, received an image of themselves, or simply came across it online. Parents are advised to approach the situation calmly rather than making assumptions.
If the child created the image, the guide suggests discussing whether the person in the image would be comfortable with it. If the image was shared, families are advised to jointly delete it or report it on the relevant platforms. The platform also distinguishes between a situation where the child creates or shares such an image and a situation where the child becomes the subject of such an image.
In cases where children are depicted without their consent, parents are advised not to further disseminate the image and to seek appropriate protective support. Images that are sexual, threatening, hateful, or humiliating in nature are considered safety issues requiring special attention. The guide also offers parents ready-made responses when children dismiss such images as a joke or insist they did nothing wrong.
The GenDubAI platform is available in Arabic and English and is designed for mobile use. Parents can start by choosing one of three paths based on their current needs: 'My child uses AI' (guidance on homework, creativity, personal conversations, and family values situations); 'I want to feel more prepared' (information on AI basics, safety, age-specific considerations, privacy, and potential risks); or 'I want to develop good AI habits together' (short family activities aimed at encouraging discussion and joint decision-making about AI use).
The free platform integrates international AI guidelines and research conducted with UAE families. It was launched as a pilot project, with future versions expected to include parental feedback and offer additional content, tools, and educational resources.
Hessa Bint Essa Bouhamid, CEO of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, noted that the platform puts families at the center of educating children about AI. Khalfan Belhul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, stated that the increasing adoption of AI and the rise in smart device usage among children have made raising parental awareness particularly important. He emphasized: 'Knowing how to use AI safely and responsibly is one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children to help them thrive in the age of artificial intelligence.'
Said Al Falasi, Executive Director of the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, reported that the platform was developed around the concept of 'family moments,' encouraging parents and children to discuss AI as part of daily life.