WHICH WAY TO SMART?

A playbook for parents teaching their kids to thrive in a world of AI.

Children in this moment in the 21st century, warns Moody, will grow up in a world their parents won’t recognize or anticipate; “the tools they will use every day may not have been invented.” The questions weighing on the minds of many parents are very straightforward: Am I preparing my child for the right things? Is that even possible? The typical quick-fix answer is “start early, spend money, or your child falls behind.” This book is intended to offer a different kind of answer—the author points out that while new technologies come and go in constant waves of innovation, the right mindset for learning any new tech stays the same. Moody asserts that parents should observe closely, ask sharp questions, and “stay clear-headed when feelings run high.” The author, a data scientist and parent, outlines some strategies to build these skills in the specific context of dealing with AI. She explains the basics of what AI is, identifies some of the ways in which it’s infiltrated everyday life, and proposes approaches for young people to use it to their advantage without blunting their own excellence in the process. AI is governed by prompts, and Moody writes that “children who grow up asking precise, layered, follow-up questions will be able to use AI tools at a fundamentally higher level than children who do not.” The specific exercises she suggests perfectly reflect the book’s atmosphere of practical optimism—the author assiduously avoids any hint of doomsaying, a distinctive take regarding a technology that’s spawned a plethora of books warning of the inevitable AI takeover. “The children who grow up creating with AI will define the AI era,” she asserts. “The children who grow up consuming it will be defined by it.” This kind of cleareyed thinking about AI is very welcome.

An intelligent and upbeat guide to helping young people master AI and to avoid being mastered by it.