Raising kids in the age of AI? Technology that fosters connection is more important than ever

Not so long ago, parents debated how much TV time to allow their children. That looks downright quaint as parents today must contend with trickier decisions about how—and when—to introduce their children to fundamentally different technologies. Shunning technology altogether isn’t the answer, but rather parents must navigate how AI tools and other newfangled technology can deepen human connection, as three experts recently shared during a panel discussion at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York. That’s why understanding the intent behind the technology is so important in navigating this pivotal time. “The best way to get children ready for a high-tech future is ironically a low-tech childhood,” said Dana Suskind, author of the book Human Raised and the founder and codirector of the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health at the University of Chicago. “It doesn’t mean that technology doesn’t play a role,” Suskind added. “[But] the relationship, that messy human relationship at this point, should never be replaced.” IDENTIFYING WHAT KIDS REALLY WANT Sometimes that means intuiting what children really want, even if technology could potentially deliver much more. For…