Raising Kids with AI: A Controversial Choice

It’s not often that modern parenting styles catch me off guard, but the idea of using AI to help raise children is, well, quite strange.

Lillian Schmidt, who isn’t a single mother, has turned to ChatGPT for assistance with her 3-year-old daughter and her 14-year-old son-in-law. According to a report, she claims she doesn’t let the bots “make decisions,” but often seeks their advice.

“I’ll use it to make me a better mom,” Schmidt, based in Zurich, Switzerland, stated. She even mentioned, “I’ll never come back,” suggesting a reliance on this technology.

She seems to have handed over typical parenting responsibilities to an artificial system that acts as, well, a therapist, diet planner, and activity guide all rolled into one. During her most exhausting moments, Schmidt relies on the app, believing she’s trained it to “understand her child’s development.”

However, nobody knows a child’s emotional needs better than their parents. Relying on AI for parenting is a troubling concept—almost akin to neglect. It sends a message that real love and care aren’t worth the effort.

While ChatGPT may appear to be a simple solution to Schmidt’s challenges, there’s a risk she’ll one day regret letting technology dictate her daughter’s formative experiences. Parents often overlook that they really only have limited windows—like 18 summers or birthdays—before their children grow up, altering the parent-child relationship forever.

Schmidt’s reliance on AI may reflect a broader issue—many parents today feel isolated from extended family support. In earlier generations, grandparents and others often lived nearby, sharing the emotional and logistical burdens of raising children. That kind of communal support feels rare these days.

Despite her claims that ChatGPT helps her manage emotions and improve as a mother, it misses the mark. AI lacks the genuine connection and encouragement that a child needs from a parent. Outsourcing emotional support to a program might seem like a shortcut, but it risks creating a disconnect that her daughter will likely notice.

Moreover, it’s hard to overlook the potential harm technology can inflict on kids. Allowing devices, screens, and the internet to take the lead in parenting could negatively affect a child’s emotional and social growth.