TrendLife have some great advice for living in the AI world

AI seems to dominate the news. Sometimes it’s a positive story about how it has the potential to change lives or even save lives. But more often it’s a click bait headline designed to scare and get attention. In most cases there is at least some element of truth in it that is then woven into an engagement seeking story that bears little resemblance to the actuality

With that in mind we need to acknowledge that the genie is out of the bottle and we need to find a way to navigate the world we find ourselves in

TrendLife’s latest newsletter had some great points so it makes sense to share that with our readers. They provided some useful tips to help navigate the AI revolution

When asked “When did AI move into your house?” most would find it difficult to pinpoint the actual moment.

TrendLife nailed it when they said “It arrived through the homework app your child’s school recommended. The account question you typed out in full because calling the bank meant waiting on hold. The link your Mum forwarded asking if it was safe to click. AI became part of your family’s daily life before most families had a chance to think about what that meant”

AI assistance can be very helpful at school. TrendLife state that around 40% of children regularly use AI for schoolwork. It can also be very useful but parents are naturally concerned about something that is hard to get your head around. Even the experts aren’t entirely sure of what the ramifications are . It’s just too new and evolving so fast that it’s like chasing your own tail

So if we are learning to live with AI what are we giving up and what tactics can we employ to ensure we are aware of the consequences of our actions?

TrendLife said that “When your child pastes an essay prompt into a chatbot, the tool receives not just the topic but the writing style, the subject, sometimes the assignment itself. When a child asks AI to write their answers, they are sharing their gaps, questions, and reasoning with a system whose data policies most families have never read. AI companies train their models on user interactions. Some anonymize the data; some don’t. The terms of service nobody reads often contain the answer, buried in language designed to be skipped”

And that’s the key. We skip through the T’s&C’s because we are eager to get the answer

After accepting the conditions, each interaction seems small and reasonable but each snippet you share builds a snapshot of you and your household. Being aware of this is a big step in knowing how to interact with AI

Some tips

• Talk about it at the dinner table, not as a lecture. Ask your kids what they actually use AI for. Most children have already noticed something feels different; they just haven’t been asked.
• Treat AI tools like shared spaces, not private ones. When your family understands that what goes into a chatbot isn’t confidential, the same way a conversation in a coffee shop isn’t, they naturally become more deliberate about what they share
• Remove or swap identifying information BEFORE you ask a chatbot for help. The chatbot doesn’t need to know your name or address to find out the best restaurant in your suburb. Ask it specifically and avoid such commands as “what is the best restaurant near me?” This is particularly important when scanning a document. The chatbot might be really helpful by looking at a document but cover or crop identifying information before sharing

Obviously TrendLife can provide tools to help you but the basics remain the same. Be aware of what you are sharing and understand that small pieces of information can add up quickly.