Look, it was a long week for Big Tech CEOs and a surprisingly decent one for anyone who thinks kids shouldn't be lab rats for social media algorithms. Between Meta and YouTube finally getting slapped by juries and a new federal bill trying to stop AI chatbots from acting like your kid’s creepy best friend, the "wild west" era is finally getting some boundaries. We’ve also got $55k-a-year AI schools expanding to Chicago and humanoid robots being pitched as the new math tutors. It’s a lot to sift through. Grab a coffee, or my favorite, matcha or boba tea, try not to think about that tuition bill, and let’s get into what’s happening.

Have you listened to this week’s podcast episodes yet? Start with Can You Spot a Fake AI Video on YouTube? for elementary school kids and Is AI Really Your Friend? What Kids (and Parents) Need to Know for middle school and up. Then come back here.

Now let’s get into it.

In a big legal moment, juries in two different states ruled against major tech companies for harming kids. On March 25, a jury in Los Angeles said both Meta and YouTube are responsible for injuries to children on their platforms. In a separate case, a jury in New Mexico found that Meta knew its platforms were harming kids’ mental health and did not fully act on what it knew about child sexual exploitation. For a long time, parents and advocates have been saying these platforms can cause real harm, and now a courtroom has agreed. It is still unclear what changes will actually happen next, but experts expect more lawsuits and faster movement on new laws because of these decisions.

What parents and teachers need to know: These verdicts don’t change what your child sees online tomorrow, but they are important. For years, experts have been saying these platforms weren’t designed with kids in mind. Now courts agree. This is a good moment to revisit what your kids are accessing, how long they’re on those apps, and whether their accounts have the right privacy settings. You have more power at home than any law does, and you don’t have to wait for the courts or Congress to act.

-Dr. Tiffany Petricini, Professor and Co-Chair of Penn State’s AI Committee (Quote from AI for Kids Podcast)

-Dr. Sarah Zipf, Researcher (Quote from AI for Kids Podcast)

U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Youth AI Privacy Act. It is focused on putting rules around how AI chatbots interact with kids. Right now, about two-thirds of teenagers are using AI chat tools, and about a quarter are using them every single day. This is happening fast, and in some cases, faster than adults realize. There have already been tragic situations where teens died by suicide after interacting with AI chatbots, which is a big reason this bill is being pushed now. The legislation would require companies to add stronger privacy protections for kids and also look at how these tools are designed. Some chatbots are built in ways that keep kids talking longer or make the experience feel more personal than it actually is.

What parents and teachers need to know: Kids are already using these tools, so waiting for policy to catch up is probably not a good idea. Take a few minutes to see what they are using and how they are using it. Pay attention to whether the chatbot is encouraging them to keep talking or getting personal. And be clear with kids that AI is not a real person. It might sound human, but it does not know them or care about them. That understanding goes a long way right now while everything else is still catching up.

A new group called the Alliance for a Better Future launched last week, with one clear goal: make sure AI is built with kids’ safety in mind from the start. The coalition brings together nine organizations across family policy, child safety, and public interest advocacy, and plans to spend heavily to push for stronger protections. They are also directly pushing back on efforts from parts of the tech industry to roll back state-level AI safeguards. A new poll tied to the launch found that 77% of voters would rather support candidates who prioritize protecting children over those who want no AI rules at all. That kind of agreement across the country is rare.

What parents and teachers need to know: No matter where you stand, 77% is not small. A lot of the action on AI is happening at the state level, not in Congress, and those decisions can move quickly. If this matters to you, it is worth knowing what your state is doing. Even something simple like sending a short email or showing up to a local hearing can carry more weight than people think.

Alpha Schools, a private school model that uses AI to handle core academics, is expanding to Chicago for fall 2026. In this model, kids in kindergarten through 8th grade spend one to two hours a day learning subjects like math, reading, and science through AI programs. The rest of the day is focused on life skills, led by “guides” instead of traditional teachers. The school says its students rank in the top 1% on national tests and move about 2.6 times faster than their peers on MAP assessments. Tuition is $55,000 a year per child. The Chicago location currently has two students enrolled and is aiming for 50 by the fall.

What parents and teachers need to know: Those results sound impressive, but the price alone tells you this is not something most families can access. Alpha School started in Austin and is expanding to more locations, but it is still early and limited in reach. This is a good moment to ask what we are actually trying to prioritize when it comes to how kids learn, and who gets access to those experiences.

Idaho Governor Brad Little signed Senate Bill 1227 into law, requiring the state's Department of Education to develop a comprehensive framework for integrating generative AI into K-12 classrooms. Noting that "the genie is out of the bottle," officials aim to catch adults up to the technological proficiency of students. The open-ended, human-centered framework will focus on text, image, and video generation tools, establishing formal educational guidelines where none previously existed.

What parents and teachers need to know: Some states are building clear guidelines. Others are still figuring it out. Ask where yours falls. For parents, a simple question like “what are the rules around AI in class and homework?” goes a long way. For educators, ask your school or district how they are thinking about AI use and expectations so you are not caught off guard in the classroom.

Citing a 20-year low in math and reading proficiency among high school seniors, First Lady Melania Trump advocated for the expanded use of AI in education. During an event at the White House, she introduced "Figure 3," an American-made humanoid robot, framing it as the future of personalized learning. She argued that AI and humanoid systems can offer tailored educational experiences, build independent reasoning skills, and free up students' time for extracurricular activities.

What parents and teachers need to know: While personalized tutoring sounds like a dream, let us keep our feet firmly planted on the ground. A robot in the classroom might help solve a complex math equation, but it is not built to read a room or reliably recognize when a student is having a tough day at home. Technology should remain a tool in our educational toolbox, not a replacement for the vital, presence of a dedicated HUMAN teacher. We still have a lot to learn about these tools and how to use them well. (They also still have a lot to learn from us.)

Roblox shared a new safety update this week focused on how it moderates content across its platform. The company introduced a real-time AI system that looks at entire scenes in games, not just individual pieces like text or avatars. This means it can catch combinations of behavior that may be harmful, even if each piece alone seems fine. Since launching, Roblox says it has been shutting down around 5,000 game servers a day for violating its rules. The company is also giving creators more visibility into these shutdowns and working on training programs for people who manage online communities.

What parents and teachers need to know: Moderation is getting more advanced, but it is not perfect, and platforms are still figuring it out. It can be helpful to understand that what kids experience online is shaped both by these systems and by other users, and both can change quickly.

Neuroscientist Vivienne Ming, who has spent decades studying AI, shared a perspective this week that is getting a lot of attention. She argues that many of the skills schools focus on today may not matter as much in the next 10 years. Instead, the kids who will stand out are the ones who are curious, creative, able to handle setbacks, and willing to try again after failing. One idea she recommends is something called a “failure resume,” where families regularly write down things that did not work out and talk about what they learned. The point is to make failure feel normal and useful, not something to avoid.

What parents and teachers need to know: If the future really does reward curiosity and resilience more than just getting the right answer, it is worth asking how that shows up in your child’s day. You can ask schools how they handle mistakes and whether kids get to try different approaches or mostly focus on being correct. At home, pay attention to how your child handles things not working and what helps them try again, since that is the skill this story is pointing to.

Inspired by last week’s section on AI-generated content flooding kids’ channels and this week’s AI for Kids podcast episode, this game turns spotting bad information into a skill for kids.

How to play

Example:

“Bananas grow on trees because they need strong trunks to hold their weight.”

Clues:

Answer: AI slop. Bananas grow on plants, not trees.

Why it works: This game builds exactly the habits kids need to navigate AI-generated content, asking questions, noticing what feels off, and not taking information at face value just because it sounds right. That’s a skill they can use beyond this game.

It brings me hope to see that the conversation about AI and kids is maturing. Courts are ruling on things that are important in the digital/AI and kids space. Senators are introducing bills that can protect our littles. Researchers are speaking directly to parents and teachers, and not just other academics. We are seeing real progress in this space, even if it feels a little slow compared to the pace of things.

Remember you still don’t need to become an AI expert overnight. You already have a job, parent, teacher, caregiver, and more. Let’s not add another to your list. Your role, if you choose to accept it, is to stay aware enough not to be surprised, ask a few better questions, and keep the conversation open with your kids or students.

If this newsletter helped you feel even a little more grounded this week, then it did its job. If you know someone else who needs it, please share it with them.

Thanks for reading. See you next week.

-Amber Ivey (AI)