Good Reads

This week's Good Reads

Week of October 5, 2026 ยท Two good-news reads and one risk to know. Every pick is from research, an expert organization or reputable news.

PositiveResearch

When AI helps learning, and when it gets in the way

Brookings researchers explain that AI isn't good or bad for learning by itself. Tools designed for education, which give hints and ask kids to explain their thinking, can deepen learning. General chatbots that just hand over answers can weaken it.

Why it matters: It gives you a simple test for any homework tool: does it teach, or just tell?

Ages: Elementary to High School

Do or say this week: Try a “think first” rule at home.

Source: Brookings Institution, 2026[1]

PositiveExpert org

Protecting children in the age of AI

Harvard's Ying Xu explains that well-designed educational AI can support learning, and that even preschoolers can grasp basic AI ideas. Parents don't need to be experts; they can be co-learners.

Why it matters: It takes the pressure off. Exploring AI with your kid is the recommended approach.

Ages: All ages

Do or say this week: Ask your child to show you an AI tool they like.

Source: UNICEF USA, Feb 2026[2]

Risk to knowNews

FBI warns of AI voice-cloning scams

The FBI warned that scammers use a few seconds of audio from social media to clone a loved one's voice and fake an emergency. The FBI reported Americans lost over $893 million to AI-related scams in the previous year.

Why it matters: Teens and grandparents are both targets.

Ages: Middle School and up, plus grandparents

Do or say this week: Pick a family safe word tonight.

Source: KPRC Click2Houston, June 2026[3]

From the archive

PositiveExpert org

APA health advisory: AI and adolescent well-being

The APA says AI can help teens brainstorm, organize and understand concepts, while warning about over-reliance, harmful content, privacy and deepfakes.

Why it matters: A foundational, research-based guide for parents of teens.

Ages: Ages 10+

Do or say this week: Ask your teen what AI got wrong for them lately.

Source: American Psychological Association, June 2025[4]

Risk to knowResearch

How fake images make online blackmail harder to report

Thorn found that about 10% of the online blackmail reports it reviewed with NCMEC involved AI-altered rather than real images. Teens worry they won't be believed.

Why it matters: Children can be targeted even if they never shared anything private. They need to know they'll be believed.

Ages: Middle and High School

Do or say this week: Tell your child: “Real or fake, you won't be in trouble.”

Source: Thorn, Sept 2024[5]

PositiveNews

How to talk to your kids about AI chatbots

A practical guide to opening up conversations about chatbots and companions.

Why it matters: Easy scripts for busy parents.

Ages: All ages

Do or say this week: Use one of our conversation starters.

Source: PolitiFact, Dec 2025[6]

How we pick Good Reads

Each read carries a badge: Research peer-reviewed or university research, Expert org established medical and child-safety groups, News reputable outlets and official notices, or Parent-tested real experiences, labeled as experience, not evidence. We aim for two positives for every risk. Our editorial standards →

Go deeper: curated blogs, research and podcasts

Widely read sources we return to. Each link goes to the original.

Parent blogs and websites on AI and parenting

Psychologist

Techno Sapiens[7]

Psychologist Jacqueline Nesi translates research on kids and technology, including new data on teens and AI, into practical tips.

University

Parenting for a Digital Future[8]

A London School of Economics blog on family life and technology. See also its piece on moving from hype to action on AI in childhood[9].

Research center

Joan Ganz Cooney Center[10]

Harvard's Ying Xu explains how AI can complement, not replace, the people who help children learn.

Nonprofit

Common Sense Media[11]

Ratings, risk assessments and family guides for AI products.

Advocacy

Fairplay: Childhood Made by Humans[12]

A campaign for keeping childhood centered on people, with guidance on AI toys.

Commentary

After Babel[13]

Jonathan Haidt's team argues against AI companions for children. A strong point of view; read alongside the research below.

Scholarly and peer-reviewed research

StudyWhat it foundType
Xu et al., 2022[14]Child DevelopmentYoung children who talked with an AI conversational agent during an educational video understood the story better, largely because the dialogue kept them engaged.Peer reviewed
Quan et al., 2026[15]Computers and Education: AIAn AI reading partner gave consistent literacy instruction, but children learned more when a parent guided the activity.Peer reviewed
Xiao et al., 2025[16]British Journal of Educational TechnologyA randomized trial comparing parent-led and AI-guided dialogic reading with e-books.Peer reviewed
McBain et al., 2026[17]JAMA PediatricsAbout one in five U.S. adolescents and young adults used AI chatbots for mental health advice, and most had not told anyone.Peer reviewed
Su, Ng & Chu, 2023[18]Computers and Education: AIReviews the challenges and opportunities of teaching AI literacy in early childhood.Peer reviewed
Bakir & McStay, 2025[19]AI & SocietyExamines the ethics of AI companion apps and why their design raises concerns for young users.Peer reviewed
Pew Research Center, 2026[20]Survey report64% of U.S. teens say they use AI chatbots, but only 51% of parents think their teen does. Just over half of parents have talked with their teen about chatbots.Research report
American Psychological Association, 2025[4]Health advisoryEvidence-based recommendations for protecting adolescents and encouraging healthy uses of AI.Expert guidance

Some journal articles require a subscription. Many authors share free copies; search the title or ask your local library.

Podcasts on AI, kids and society

Parenting

Raising Kids in the Age of AI[21]

Developmental psychologist Dr. Aliza Pressman and aiEDU's Alex Kotran talk with parents, students and educators. Made by aiEDU Studios with Google.

Parenting

Screenagers: Parenting in the Screen Age[22]

Physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston on screens, AI and family life, in short episodes.

Experts

Children and Screens: Ask the Experts[23]

Free recorded webinars with researchers on AI, mental health and development.

Society

Your Undivided Attention[24]

The Center for Humane Technology on how AI and persuasive design shape society, including young people.

Society

Hard Fork[25]

The New York Times' weekly show on technology news, often covering AI's effects on schools and families.

References

AI-OK? summarizes these sources in our own words and links to the originals. Short quotes are marked with quotation marks, and some titles are described in [brackets]. All credit for original research and guidance belongs to the authors below.

  1. Brookings Institution. (2026). When AI helps learning, and when it gets in the way. Parent tip sheet 12. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tips-for-parents-raising-resilient-learners-in-an-ai-world. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  2. UNICEF USA. (2026, February 9). Protecting children in the age of AI (featuring Ying Xu, Harvard Child-Centered AI Lab). https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/protecting-children-age-ai. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  3. KPRC Click2Houston. (2026, June 2). FBI warns of AI voice-cloning scam that mimics loved ones in distress. https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2026/06/02/fbi-warns-of-ai-voice-cloning-scam-that-mimics-loved-ones-in-distress/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  4. American Psychological Association. (2025, June). Artificial intelligence and adolescent well-being: An APA health advisory. https://www.apa.org/topics/artificial-intelligence-machine-learning/health-advisory-ai-adolescent-well-being.pdf. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  5. Thorn. (2024, September 26). Will I be believed? [How deepfakes add to young people's fears about online blackmail]. www.thorn.org (link). Accessed October 4, 2026.
  6. PolitiFact. (2025, December 19). How to talk to your kids about AI chatbots and their safety. https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/dec/19/AI-chatbots-companions-talk-to-kids-parent-guide/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  7. Nesi, J. Techno Sapiens (newsletter on science-based tech parenting). https://technosapiens.substack.com/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  8. London School of Economics. Parenting for a Digital Future (blog). https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  9. Media@LSE. (2026, February 10). Time to move from hype to action, now that AI is already part of childhood. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/2026/02/10/time-to-move-from-hype-to-action-now-that-ai-is-already-part-of-childhood/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  10. Xu, Y. (2024, October 7). Different but complementary: Navigating AI's role in children's learning and development. Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. https://joanganzcooneycenter.org/2024/10/07/different-but-complementary/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  11. Common Sense Media. AI (ratings and resources hub). https://www.commonsense.org/ai. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  12. Fairplay. Childhood made by humans. https://fairplayforkids.org/childhood-made-by-humans/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  13. After Babel. Don't give your child any AI companions. https://www.afterbabel.com/p/dont-give-your-child-an-ai-companion. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  14. Xu, Y., Aubele, J., Vigil, V., Bustamante, A. S., Kim, Y.-S., & Warschauer, M. (2022). Dialogue with a conversational agent promotes children's story comprehension via enhancing engagement. Child Development, 93(2), e149-e167. Peer reviewed. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9299009/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  15. Quan, S., Tu-Shea, X., Ding, Y., et al. (2026). Conversational AI in children's home literacy learning: Effectiveness, advantages, challenges, and family perception. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence. Peer reviewed. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666920X2600010X. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  16. Xiao, et al. (2025). Parent-led vs. AI-guided dialogic reading: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in children's e-book context. British Journal of Educational Technology. Peer reviewed. https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjet.13615. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  17. McBain, R. K., Cantor, J. H., Breslau, J., et al. (2026). AI chatbot use and disclosure for mental health among US adolescents and young adults. JAMA Pediatrics. Peer reviewed. https://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP71278.html. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  18. Su, J., Ng, D. T. K., & Chu, S. K. W. (2023). Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in early childhood education: The challenges and opportunities. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 4, 100124. Peer reviewed. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2023.100124. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  19. Bakir, V., & McStay, A. (2025). Move fast and break people? Ethics, companion apps, and the case of Character.ai. AI & Society, 40, 6365-6377. Peer reviewed. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-025-02408-5. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  20. Pew Research Center. (2026, February 24). How teens use and view AI; What parents say about their teen's AI use. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/02/24/what-parents-say-about-their-teens-ai-use/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  21. aiEDU Studios with Google. Raising Kids in the Age of AI (podcast), hosted by Alex Kotran and Dr. Aliza Pressman. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-kids-in-the-age-of-ai/id1838597978. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  22. Screenagers. Parenting in the screen age podcast. https://www.screenagersmovie.com/screenagers-podcast. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  23. Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development. #AskTheExperts webinars. https://www.childrenandscreens.org/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  24. Center for Humane Technology. Your Undivided Attention (podcast). https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-undivided-attention/id1460030305. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  25. The New York Times. Hard Fork (podcast). https://www.nytimes.com/column/hard-fork. Accessed October 4, 2026.