Generation AI Is Here & Parents Need to Wake Up | FOX5 Atlanta Interview
In my recent interview on FOX 5 Atlanta’s Good Day, I sat down to talk about Generation AI — the first generation born into a world where artificial intelligence isn’t a tool; it’s a teammate. And for parents of Gen Alpha (ages 0–15), this is the wake-up call they can’t afford to snooze on.
The Real AI Revolution Isn’t in Silicon Valley — It’s in Our Living Rooms
We’ve reached a tipping point. AI is no longer reserved for big tech companies or sci-fi enthusiasts. It’s writing our kids’ essays, generating their artwork, curating their entertainment, and soon, forming their closest relationships.
If you’re a parent and think ChatGPT is “just another app,” think again. AI is doubling in capability every 7 months . That’s exponential growth. What’s cutting-edge today will be child’s play tomorrow.
The tools Gen Alpha is using from ChatGPT to AI-powered filters and friend simulators — aren’t just assisting them. They’re shaping them.
“But I Used Google Growing Up — What’s the Big Deal?”
That’s a question I hear often. And sure, Google disrupted education. But this is different.
When Google emerged, it gave us access to knowledge. AI doesn’t just give you the facts it synthesizes, writes, and replaces the need to think critically if you let it. Where previous generations were guided by Wikipedia and search engines, Gen Alpha is being raised by machines that think for them.
The concern? Overreliance.
If AI becomes a crutch before critical thinking is fully developed, we risk raising a generation that’s brilliant at prompts — but paralyzed without them.
From Virtual Friends to Emotional Dependence
This isn’t theoretical.
We’re already seeing instances of children forming emotional bonds with AI chatbots. Some genuinely believe these bots are their friends . If you think that sounds dystopian, let me be clear — for Gen Alpha, this is normal. They’re not logging in. They’re growing up with AI.
Digital Footprints Before Their First Words
More than 90% of Gen Alpha will have a digital footprint before age two .
That means their data, identity, and online presence are established before they even speak their first sentence. Parents — often Millennials themselves — are reserving domain names, setting up social handles, and building digital identities on behalf of their toddlers. Why? Because they know visibility and credibility in a digital world matter.
What Will the World Look Like in 10 Years?
Here’s the blunt truth: I don’t know. Nobody does.
What I do know is this — AI is eliminating jobs once thought sacred. In months, not decades. Scripts, code, music, even therapy are being generated at scale.
And while politicians bicker over regulations, AI doesn’t wait.
\We’re barreling toward a future where the line between human and machine blurs completely from relationships to work to creativity. Whether that future is empowering or dehumanizing depends on one thing: how we prepare today.
So What Should Parents Do?
Here’s your three-part playbook:
Educate Yourself First
You can’t guide your kids through an AI-powered world if you’re still stuck in analog thinking. Get hands-on. Use ChatGPT. Try AI art tools. Build a basic GPT yourself. Understanding removes fear.
Teach Skills Machines Can’t Replace (Yet)
Creativity. Emotional intelligence. Ethical reasoning. These are the new table stakes. Memorization is dead. Critical thinking is the new currency .
Create Boundaries, Not Bans
Don’t keep AI away from your kids — that’s a losing battle. But do set boundaries. Teach them how to use AI responsibly. It’s the difference between raising creators vs. consumers.
Generation AI Is Not the Future — They’re the Present
Gen Alpha won’t adapt to AI — AI will adapt to them. Their norms, their behaviors, their expectations will shape the next era of technology, commerce, education, and society at large .
If you’re a parent, teacher, brand, or policymaker still watching from the sidelines, it’s time to jump in. This moment is too big to ignore.
AI won’t raise our children. But it will be there every step of the way. It’s up to us to ensure it enhances their growth, not replaces it.
