Dear Jido,
I am frightened by what I’m seeing happen in my own family.
My children and grandchildren now turn to AI for almost every major life decision – careers, relationships, finances, even personal conflicts. Instead of talking to each other, they ask a machine what to do. One of my grandsons recently said, “AI gives better advice than people.”
That sentence hit me like a punch in the stomach.
I know technology can be useful, and I’m not against progress. But I fear my family is slowly replacing human judgment, wisdom, and emotional connection with computer-generated answers. They trust AI more than parents, grandparents, teachers, or even their own instincts.
When I express concern, they dismiss me as “outdated.” Maybe I am. But I cannot shake the feeling that something deeply human is slipping away – the ability to think independently, make mistakes, learn from life, and seek guidance from people who truly know and love you.
I’m writing because I genuinely don’t know what to do. How do I speak to my family without sounding fearful or irrelevant? And how do we prevent technology from becoming the loudest voice in our homes?
Signed,
A Worried Grandfather
Dear Worried,
Sorry to say, but you have every reason to be concerned. The AI epidemic has hit people of all ages in countries around the world. Experts are already expressing concerns about the effects of AI on youth and teens.
Recent studies have found that overuse of AI deepens isolation, weakens their ability to cope with stress, impairs creativity, destroys self-confidence, and can lead to cyberbullying and loss of privacy while it creates what they call screen addiction.
What can you do about it? This is what some of the experts say:
1. Use AI together: “Come on Joey, let’s see what AI would say.” “Really Grandpa?” “Yeh, come on.”
2. Ask, don’t lecture: Discuss the answer openly. “What did you think of that answer?” “What do you think Mom/Grandma/I would answer?”
3. Set rules: Although you shouldn’t overstep your bounds by telling your grandchildren what they should or shouldn’t do, certainly you should advocate that specific times and specific subjects are not open to using AI.
4. Be sure to make family time open, fun, and often: Let the whole family sense the value of meaningful, human connections.
When in doubt, of course, we always turn to the Number One Expert, Hashem. He tells us (Devarim 32:7), “Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders and they will advise.” That’s as true today as it was 3,338 years ago when we first heard it. AI can’t empathize or show true compassion because it never went to yeshivah or walked you down the aisle. We did.
Remind your family members that the “A” of AI stands for “Artificial.” Then, let them know that guys like you and me are the real thing.
Jido