UAE families draw the line: Let AI guide children, not do their homework
Dubai: Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming part of everyday life, and for many families in the UAE, that includes homework time. Parents of children say AI can be useful in explaining difficult lessons, providing extra practice, and encouraging curiosity. But they are also drawing a clear distinction between using technology to learn and using it to avoid learning. For parents, the…
AI is becoming more prevalent in daily life, including homework time for many UAE families. While AI can assist with difficult lessons, providing extra practice, and encouraging curiosity, parents are clear that it should not be used to avoid learning. The key question for parents is not whether children should use AI, but how they utilize it.
Midhuna Prathap, a mother of a Grade 1 child, sees AI as a tutor rather than an automated answer provider. She believes AI should work with the child, not for the child, and emphasizes the importance of supervising younger kids and setting boundaries against academic dishonesty for older children. Privacy and accuracy are also concerns, with children advised not to share sensitive personal information and to cross-check AI-generated information against trusted sources.
Steffy Sunny, an educator, focuses on the difference between completing homework and actually learning. AI can simplify difficult concepts, suggest ideas, or help identify mistakes, but it should not replace the child's own effort. Parents play a crucial role in modeling responsible technology use, as children often learn by observing their parents' habits.
The real test is not just the polished final answer, but whether the child can explain how they arrived at it, answer follow-up questions, apply the idea to different situations, and even disagree with an AI-generated response. Glory Anana Ajani, whose child is in Year 2, sets limits on AI use at home, requiring her seven-year-old to attempt work independently before using AI.
The family treats AI use as part of overall screen time and encourages discussions about AI responses to foster critical thinking. Sona David, a mother of Grade 5 and KG2 students, views AI as a support tool for understanding complex topics like mathematical formulas or historical events. She sees potential for AI in science projects and essay planning, but believes the foundation in basic skills should still be built by the child.
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