Is It AI-OK?

Is It AI-OK?

Age-by-age guidance on the AI tools kids use most, drawn from curated sources and best practices. Each entry links to where the facts came from.

OK with check-ins With a parent / controls on Not for this age Not designed for this age

ChatGPT

OpenAI · chatbot
Pre-KAges 3 to 5Not for this age
ElementaryAges 6 to 10Not for this age
Middle SchoolAges 11 to 1313+ only, with controls
High SchoolAges 14 to 17With a parent / controls on
CollegeAges 18+OK with check-ins

Why: Users must be 13+, and under-18s need parent permission. Parental controls exist for teens (Internet Matters[1]), but independent testing found gaps (FOSI[2]).

Google Gemini

Google · chatbot, built into Android and Search
Pre-KAges 3 to 5Not for this age
ElementaryAges 6 to 10Only via Family Link, with you
Middle SchoolAges 11 to 13With a parent / controls on
High SchoolAges 14 to 17With a parent / controls on
CollegeAges 18+OK with check-ins

Why: Separate under-13 and 13+ versions; parents of under-13s manage access through Google Family Link. At 13+, teens' data is collected like adults' (Internet Matters[1]).

Snapchat My AI

Snap · chatbot inside Snapchat
Pre-KAges 3 to 5Not for this age
ElementaryAges 6 to 10Not for this age
Middle SchoolAges 11 to 1313+ only, with you
High SchoolAges 14 to 17With a parent / controls on
CollegeAges 18+OK with check-ins

Why: For users 13+ like Snapchat itself. It can't be removed without a paid Snapchat+ subscription, and answers may still be biased or wrong (Internet Matters[1]).

Character.AI

Character.AI · role-play chatbots
Pre-KAges 3 to 5Not for this age
ElementaryAges 6 to 10Not for this age
Middle SchoolAges 11 to 13Not for this age
High SchoolAges 14 to 17Not for this age
CollegeAges 18+18+: with caution

Why: 13+ on paper, but the company has moved away from letting teens use open-ended chat after reports of harm, and age checks are easy to fake (Internet Matters[1]). Common Sense Media advises against AI companions for anyone under 18 (Common Sense Media[3]).

Replika

Luka · AI companion
Pre-KAges 3 to 5Not for this age
ElementaryAges 6 to 10Not for this age
Middle SchoolAges 11 to 13Not for this age
High SchoolAges 14 to 17Not for this age
CollegeAges 18+18+: with caution

Why: Adult-only (18+) with romantic “partner” features, minimal age verification and no parental controls (Internet Matters[1]).

Khanmigo

Khan Academy · AI tutor
Pre-KAges 3 to 5Not designed for this age
ElementaryAges 6 to 10OK, set up by a parent
Middle SchoolAges 11 to 13OK with check-ins
High SchoolAges 14 to 17OK with check-ins
CollegeAges 18+OK with check-ins

Why: Built for elementary through college. Guides kids to answers instead of giving them, lets parents view chat history and sends moderation alerts. Paid (Khan Academy[4]).

Smart speakers

Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri
Pre-KAges 3 to 5Together only
ElementaryAges 6 to 10With a parent / controls on
Middle SchoolAges 11 to 13With a parent / controls on
High SchoolAges 14 to 17OK with check-ins
CollegeAges 18+OK with check-ins

Why: Can gather what kids say over time. Review saved recordings and privacy settings (Brookings[5]).

Last checked: October 2026. Apps change their rules often, so always check the app's current age limits. These ratings reflect AI-OK?'s reading of the curated sources cited; they are not endorsements.

Checking an app that isn't listed? Ask five questions.

Ask these questions, adapted from Internet Matters[6] and Brookings[7]:

AgeWhat age is it for, and how does it check?
PurposeBuilt for kids and learning, or a general chatbot?
BehaviorDoes it act like a friend or push constant chatting?
DataWhat does it collect? Can you turn off training and location?
ControlsAre there parental controls and visibility?

Want independent ratings?

Common Sense Media[8] publishes AI risk assessments and ratings for many products. The APA[9] has called for clear, regularly updated ratings for AI tools, similar to those for movies and games.

References

AI-OK? summarizes these sources in our own words and links to the originals. Short quotes are marked with quotation marks, and some titles are described in [brackets]. All credit for original research and guidance belongs to the authors below.

  1. Internet Matters. A guide to artificial intelligence (AI) for parents. https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/parent-guide-to-artificial-intelligence-ai-tools/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  2. Family Online Safety Institute. Testing OpenAI parental controls: An evaluation of safety, gaps, and policy implications. https://fosi.org/policy/testing-openai-parental-controls-parental-controls-an-evaluation-of-safety-gaps-and-policy-implications/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  3. Common Sense Media. Social AI companions risk assessment. https://institute.commonsensemedia.org/risk-assessments/social-ai-companions. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  4. Khan Academy. Khanmigo for parents. https://www.khanmigo.ai/parents. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  5. Brookings Institution. (2026). Where kids' information goes in an AI world. Parent tip sheet 11. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tips-for-parents-raising-resilient-learners-in-an-ai-world. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  6. Internet Matters. How to decide if an AI tool is safe (and helpful) for your child. https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/guidance/how-to-decide-if-an-ai-tool-is-safe-and-helpful-for-your-child/. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  7. Brookings Institution. (2026). When AI helps learning, and when it gets in the way. Parent tip sheet 12. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tips-for-parents-raising-resilient-learners-in-an-ai-world. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  8. Common Sense Media. AI (ratings and resources hub). https://www.commonsense.org/ai. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  9. American Psychological Association. (2025, June). Artificial intelligence and adolescent well-being: An APA health advisory. https://www.apa.org/topics/artificial-intelligence-machine-learning/health-advisory-ai-adolescent-well-being.pdf. Accessed October 4, 2026.