It’s easy to mistake artificial intelligence for a neutral tool — a search engine that talks to you. Because of this, people use it without hesitation, assuming they’re simply accessing knowledge.

AI draws from enormous amounts of online content. That material doesn’t just contain facts; it reflects the assumptions, values, and cultural norms of the online world — one often very different from our own. When AI draws from that material, those perspectives shape how questions are answered. A recent Yale University article puts it plainly: “Querying an AI chatbot to obtain historical facts can influence people’s opinions even when the information provided is accurate.” The risk is greater than it appears because AI feels trustworthy. Over time, that voice can quietly shape how we think.

Just as we’d be cautious about letting someone who doesn’t share our values mentor our children, we should bring that same care to AI. That risk is even greater for children and teenagers. Young people may form emotional reliance on systems that possess knowledge but lack values and accountability. Parents have become increasingly concerned about misinformation and unfamiliar values children may absorb without the maturity to evaluate them.

AI can be a powerful tool, and it will likely become an even more common part of daily life. But we should not mistake it for a neutral voice guiding our thinking. The responsibility for shaping our thinking—and the thinking of our children—must remain firmly in human hands.