What is ChatGPT? A parent’s guide

Updated – Originally published April 27, 2023

Remember the days when you’d use Google for just about anything? You might still rely on Google, but your kids likely aren’t. Instead, they’re using ChatGPT.

And you’ve probably used ChatGPT, too. It can be a great tool for learning and creativity, but it also has its risks—including misinformation, privacy concerns, and much more.

There’s no need to be scared of ChatGPT; just informed. This guide will break down what parents need to know to help their kids use ChatGPT safely and responsibly.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that uses a large language model, or LLM, to create detailed, human-like responses to a user prompt. 

It’s designed to generate human-like answers by analyzing vast amounts of text data. Unlike search engines that pull direct information from the web, ChatGPT generates answers based on patterns it has learned.

Created by Open AI, ChatGPT launched in 2022. Since then, other companies have introduced their own AI chatbots, including: 

• Copilot by Microsoft
• LLaMA 3 by Meta
• Claude by Anthropic 
• Gemini 2 by Google
• Perplexity AI

With AI tools becoming more widespread, it’s important for parents to understand their impact and potential risks for kids.

How does ChatGPT work?

At its core, ChatGPT is a conversation-based AI. It predicts the most likely next word in a sentence based on patterns it has learned from billions of examples of text—everything from books to articles to websites to Reddit threads.

It might sound like a conversational version of Google, but search engines simply gather answers directly from the internet. ChatGPT, on the other hand, generates new responses using what it has already learned.

When you type a question or prompt, ChatGPT:

1. Analyzes your message to understand what you’re asking.
2. Generates a response by predicting the most likely and relevant words.
3. Uses built-in safety filters to avoid sharing harmful or inappropriate content.

Using ChatGPT is simple: visit the website or app, type a question in the prompt box, and receive a response. While no login is required to use it, an account is needed to save conversations and access them later.

ChatGPT is free, but the paid ChatGPT Plus version offers faster responses and access to more advanced models.

While ChatGPT may use conversational and human-like wording, it doesn’t “understand” like a human does. Instead, it’s recognizing patterns and forming responses that sound natural. 

That’s why ChatGPT can be wrong and misleading—and even sycophantic (something that OpenAI is actively trying to fix). 

What is Sora ChatGPT?

OpenAI has recently launched Sora 2, the newest iteration of its AI video generation app. The app generates an AI video based on whatever prompt users give it.

Users can download the app (which is currently invite only) and record a short video of themselves for their profile. Then, friends on the app can generate videos using that person’s likeness.

But Sora isn’t just an AI video generator. It’s also a social media app, similar to TikTok. Users can scroll through videos—but instead of videos of real people, it’s all AI-generated content.

While OpenAI does have protections against sexual or violent content, as The Washington Post noted, users can still generate inappropriate or embarrassing videos. And users have essentially no say or consent over how their friends use their likeness in AI generated videos.

Even if your kid is curious about Sora 2, you might want to keep them off the app. OpenAI barely has parameters set around safety and consent—so it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

What exactly is ChatGPT used for?

ChatGPT is very versatile. It can be used for everything from meal planning, coding, and even workshopping ideas. Some people are even in relationships with their chatbots.

What ChatGPT can do

• Provide clear, easy-to-understand answers to general questions in areas such as math, history, science, and technology.
• Offer explanations, definitions, and context for new topics (great for learning).
• Generate creative content: poems, stories, essays, brainstorming ideas, outlines, and more.
• Support students and learners by helping organize thoughts, provide step-by-step reasoning (though the student still needs to verify).
• Assist with practical tasks: drafting emails or letters, summarizing long texts, generating ideas for meals/projects — depending on the version.
• (Optional) In newer versions: integrate text and image inputs, support real-time web retrieval, or connect with other tools/apps.

ChatGPT will not 

• Act as a substitute for a trained professional in fields like medicine, legal advice, or mental-health counseling.
• Guarantee that every answer is correct—it may generate inaccurate or misleading responses known as “AI hallucinations.”
• Access private or confidential information that you have not provided.
• Make ethical decisions or personal judgments like a human being—it follows patterns, not personal beliefs.
• Ensure safety or privacy. So it’s best for kids and teens to use it with supervision.
• Operate outside the provider’s usage policies  (for example, facilitating illegal activities or generating harmful content)

Does ChatGPT save data?

Yes. When users are logged in, ChatGPT saves their conversations and account information, like their name and email. OpenAI may use chat data as training data to improve its AI models, though users can turn off this feature in settings. 

Deleted chats may be retained for a short time for safety and troubleshooting before being permanently removed.

Because saved chats can include sensitive details, kids should never share personal information such as their full name, address, or school online—even with ChatGPT.

Parents can teach kids digital citizenship skills, such as how to keep private information private.

The pros and cons of ChatGPT for kids

Just like Google, ChatGPT has pros and cons, depending on how your kids use it. Here’s what you should know.

Pros of ChatGPT

• Provides fast, accessible explanations for topics in math, science, history, technology—useful for homework and learning.
• Encourages creativity drafting poems, stories, brainstorming project ideas, helping kids experiment with writing and expression.
  Offers tutoring-style assistance when engaged thoughtfully: can answer follow-up questions, clarify misunderstandings, give outlines.
• Can support differentiated learning: Students can work at their own pace, revisit explanations, ask what they don’t understand.
• In structured use (with guidance) may help develop higher-order thinking and analytical skills, according to recent research.

Cons

• May deliver plausible-sounding but incorrect or misleading answers—kids need to be vigilant about fact-checking information.
• Risk of over-reliance/“shortcut” behaviour: Using ChatGPT to generate answers instead of thinking through concepts can weaken learning.
• Potential decline in critical thinking or independent problem-solving if used primarily as a “give me the answer” tool rather than a learning partner.
• Privacy and safety risks: Sharing personal or sensitive info with the tool can expose children. Also some external/unregulated AI tools may lack safe-guards.
• Not a substitute for professional advice: ChatGPT is not a licensed tutor, mental-health provider, medical or legal advisor—its guidance is general.
• Newer features (like “study mode”) aim to improve responsible use, but still require monitoring and guidance to be effective.

Additionally, some experts are wary about the various ways to use ChatGPT, and AI in general—especially when people use them for emotional connection. 

Dr. Jodi Halpern, a bioethics scholar at UC Berkeley and psychiatrist, told NPR that she was wary of AI tools that try to “act like emotional confidants or simulate deep therapeutic relationships.”

“These bots can mimic empathy, say ‘I care about you,’ even ‘I love you,'” Halpern said. “That creates a false sense of intimacy. People can develop powerful attachments—and the bots don’t have the ethical training or oversight to handle that. They’re products, not professionals.”

Can ChatGPT harm learning?

Early research suggests that yes, ChatGPT can harm learning. 

According to TIME, a 2025 study from MIT researchers “suggests that the usage of LLMs could actually harm learning, especially for younger users”—although TIME notes that as of June 2025, the paper has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Researchers asked participants to write multiple SAT essays, putting them in three groups: ChatGPT users, Google users, and a group that used nothing at all.

Using an EEG to monitor participants’ brain activity, researchers found that the group that used ChatGPT “had the lowest brain engagement” and ““consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels.”

Additionally, according to TIME, “The group that wrote essays using ChatGPT all delivered extremely similar essays that lacked original thought, relying on the same expressions and ideas.”

Meanwhile, the group who didn’t use ChatGPT or Google “showed the highest neural connectivity, especially in alpha, theta and delta bands, which are associated with creativity ideation, memory load, and semantic processing.”

Protecting kids while using ChatGPT

AI is here to stay. Rather than fearing it, parents can equip their children with the skills to use it wisely through digital citizenship:

• Set clear guidelines: Teach kids how to use ChatGPT responsibly for learning, not as a shortcut.
• Encourage fact-checking: Remind them to verify information from multiple sources.
• Monitor usage: Keep AI interactions in shared spaces and check their conversations.
• Talk about privacy: Make sure kids understand not to share personal details online.
• Discuss ethical use: Help them understand plagiarism and why using AI for schoolwork should support, not replace, their learning.

By teaching kids how to engage with AI responsibly, verify information, and protect their privacy, we can ensure that ChatGPT and similar tools become valuable assets rather than risks.

How are you helping your kids navigate the use of AI? Let us know in the comments!rmation, and protect their privacy, we can ensure that ChatGPT and similar tools become valuable assets rather than risks.