Beyond AI Smarts: Raising Kids with Courage and Original Thinking
Let me tell you, I’m constantly asking myself—HOW do I teach my amazing seven-year-old daughter the importance of human judgment when she’s surrounded by AI tools that seem to have ALL the answers? Recently, entrepreneur Anupam Mittal’s warning about founders outsourcing their judgment to ChatGPT stopped me right in my tracks! His powerful statement – “AI can fake intelligence. It can’t fake courage or an original point of view” – isn’t just business advice. It’s PARENTING wisdom for the digital age that we ALL need to hear!
The AI Paradox: Can We Raise Wise Thinkers with Smart Technology?
When Mittal shared his LinkedIn post about a founder proudly claiming “I get all my ideas from ChatGPT,” something clicked! This isn’t just about business strategy – it’s about how we raise our children to be thinkers, not just answer finders. As someone who has worked with technology for years, I’m EXCITED about AI’s potential but also DEEPLY concerned about what our kids might lose if we outsource their thinking to algorithms too soon!
My daughter and I were exploring educational apps recently, and I noticed how quickly she turned to the ‘hint’ button when faced with a challenging puzzle. Why struggle when technology can give you the answer, right? But WHERE does the struggle end and the human judgment begin? Have you noticed this with your kids too?
You know what studies reveal? Yeah, AI totally nails analyzing data and identifying patterns, but it fundamentally lacks the human qualities that are essential for true leadership and original decision-making! It averages existing knowledge rather than creating something truly new.
Like the perfect balance in a kimchi jjigae – the crunch of vegetables mixed with the softness of tofu – our family is learning to blend AI tools with traditional thinking. The most profound learning happens not when we get the right answer immediately, but when we wrestle with questions and develop our OWN unique perspective! Isn’t that what childhood should be all about?
Building Courage in Kids: How to Teach Thinking Beyond the Algorithm?
Mittal’s insight that “AI can’t fake courage” resonated deeply in my heart. What does courage look like in our children’s relationship with technology? It might mean trying a creative approach that an algorithm wouldn’t suggest! It might mean sticking with a difficult problem rather than seeking the instant solution! It might mean having the CONFIDENCE to share an idea that no one else has mentioned yet!
My little creativity explosion came home from school just BURSTING with excitement about building with blocks recently, but she kept following the instructions on a tablet instead of experimenting on her own! I found myself asking: What might she create if she didn’t have the ‘perfect’ solution right in front of her? Sometimes, the most productive thing we can do is unplug and let our minds wander without constraints!
A recent study reveals that human judgment makes ALL the difference in organizations’ AI-based decisions. While AI can provide data and predictions, it’s the human filter that incorporates ethics, reduces bias, and makes the final judgment calls that require courage and originality! For our kids, this means teaching them to consider values, ethics, and emotions that AI can’t evaluate – much like learning the balance between tradition and innovation in our household when we gather for weekend meals.
Becoming AI-Savvy Parents: Using Technology While Preserving Humanity
So HOW do we raise children who can leverage AI’s incredible capabilities without becoming dependent on it for their thinking? The answer lies in understanding what researchers call the fundamental difference between human judgment and AI! While AI excels at prediction tasks by analyzing vast datasets, it lacks the courage, intuition, and original point of view that characterize human decision-making!
In our family, we’re trying different approaches! Sometimes we’ll ask Alexa a factual question – what’s the capital of this country? What’s 27 times 4? But when my daughter has a creative problem – how can we build a taller tower? How might we invent a new game? – we set aside devices and brainstorm together! The goal isn’t to reject technology but to create clear boundaries between when it serves us and when it might limit our thinking!
One of my favorite moments recently came when my daughter used a drawing app to create something beautiful, but then surprised me by printing it out and adding her own watercolor touches – a perfect blend of technology and human creativity! This is what I hope to nurture as she grows: the ability to use new tools while maintaining her own UNIQUE point of view!
As Anupam Mittal wisely observes, the best managers use AI for speed and structure, but they rely on their own instincts for the ‘uncomfortable decisions!’ Our kids need this same balance to grow into thoughtful, innovative adults ready to solve problems that don’t even exist yet – showing the world the kind of creativity that even the most advanced AI can’t fake!
When we develop our children’s AI literacy alongside their critical thinking skills, we’re not just preparing them for today’s challenges—we’re equipping them with the uniquely human capacity to shape tomorrow’s possibilities in ways no algorithm could ever imagine!
Our role as parents isn’t to shield our children from technology but to guide them through it with wisdom and courage! As we prepare our kids for AI in education and beyond, I’m reminded of the words of a wise mentor I once had: “Tools can amplify human potential, but they can’t create it.” Isn’t that the truth?!
HOW will you help your child develop the judgment and creativity that technology cannot replicate? The future belongs to those who can blend the best of what machines offer with the irreplaceable qualities of human thinking! Our children are counting on us to show them the way!
Source: Entrepreneur Anupam Mittal slams founders for ‘outsourcing judgement’ to ChatGPT, criticizes Ctrl+C-Ctrl+V emails: Says ‘AI can fake intelligence’, Economic Times, 2025/09/01