I Work in Tech and Worry About AI—Here’s What I’m Teaching My Daughter

Uzoamaka EzenobiMay 11, 2025

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I’ve watched my college-age daughter scroll through TikTok and YouTube, so I know she’s already been exposed to content that’s not real. As much as I see the promise of new technology, and use it myself, it still scares me. I worry about what this means for her generation. My biggest concern isn’t screen time or stranger danger. It’s reality distortion.

That’s why I’m focused on teaching her AI discernment with a few simple but critical guidelines:

Fact-Check Everything

When she sees questionable content, I tell her to pause and verify. A quick Google News search should show if any real, credible sources are reporting the same thing. If she can’t find anything from a legitimate outlet, it’s probably not real. Random websites and YouTube channels are not reliable fact-checkers.

Understand the Algorithm

I explain how the platforms work, how content is personalized based on what she clicks and watches.
So when her For You Page is full of a particular kind of video, I ask her:
“Why is this being pushed to you?”
“Is it trying to make you believe something that’s not true?”

Beware of AI-fluencers

I’ve taught her not to trust social media influencers blindly. Many are monetizing attention, using AI tools, or even being AI-generated themselves. They’re not just making content for fun, they’re building brands and businesses.

Spot the Signs of AI

I show her what to watch for:

Glitchy face movements
Unnatural eye contact or blinking
Lips not syncing with speech
Odd shadows, lighting, or transitions
Emotionless voices or robotic tone

For instance, we saw a video of a “doctor” sharing a medical horror story, with zero emotion in her voice. That was the red flag.

AI Isn’t All Bad

I remind her: it’s not all doom and gloom. I work in tech, I see the good AI can do. But the tools aren’t perfect. We need more women developers and more parents helping shape ethical tech with family guardrails.