Is AI use impacting the development of resilience, critical thinking, creativity, academic integrity, and intellectual curiosity in today’s youth? What happens to forming one’s own identity as a thinker when easy answers are just a few keyboard taps away?
Children and Screens held the #AskTheExperts webinar “Raising Independent Thinkers in the Age of AI,” on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, the first webinar in its “Character Matters: Values and Resilience in the Digital Age” series. A panel of researchers and thought leaders engaged in a timely discussion to help parents, caregivers, and educators grapple with the challenges and opportunities AI presents in shaping children’s ability and motivation to learn new things, think critically and creatively, and persist through challenges.
The “Character Matters” series is made possible through the support of Grant 63314 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
A full recording, transcript, and additional resources for this webinar will be made available soon.
Raising Independent Thinkers in the Age of AI
Is AI use impacting the development of resilience, critical thinking, creativity, academic integrity, and intellectual curiosity in today’s youth? What happens to forming one’s own identity as a thinker when easy answers are just a few keyboard taps away?
The False Promise of Tech and AI in Schools | Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, MEd
How are Children Impacted by Deepfakes?
How are deepfakes created? How might kids be affected by deep fakes? What can parents and caregivers do?
The Science of Raising Humans in the Age of AI | Dana Suskind, MD
Young Children’s Anthropomorphism of an AIPowered Conversational Agent: Brain Activation and the Role of Parent Co-Presence
