Your Kids Can Now Use Google’s Gemini AI

Google is set to roll out its flagship AI chatbot, Gemini, for children under 13 next week, though only for those who have parent-managed Google accounts set up.

If you want your kids to use Gemini, you’ll need to sign up for Google’s Family Link service, a tool that allows parents to monitor how their child is spending time on their devices and adjust their privacy settings.

Google said that Gemini can help kids “to ask questions, get homework help and make up stories,” in an email sent to Family Link users, first spotted by The New York Times. Google reassured parents that data collected from under-13s using a Family Link account won’t be used to train its AI, and promises it has guardrails in place to stop them from being exposed to unsafe content.

Parents will be able to turn off their children’s access to Gemini at any time, and will get a notification the first time they sign in, according to the email.

But Google Gemini’s skill as a homework helper may be open to debate. In the past, it’s been spotted recommending that users add glue to their pizzas to help them stick, among other recommendations which are unlikely to receive top marks, such as adding rocks to your diet or claiming dogs play in the NBA. More serious concerns have continued to emerge about the relationship between chatbots and children, with outlets like The Wall Street Journal exposing how some of Meta’s digital companions could be manipulated into discussing sex with minors (under extremely specific conditions.)

Big Tech has also had a mixed reception so far when it comes to rolling out young child-focused products. We saw Meta scrap plans for a standalone Instagram Kids app back in 2021, amid pressure from groups like the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), who highlighted common concerns about the harm social media might pose to young people. Meanwhile, apps like Google Kids repeatedly came under fire earlier in their history for allowing children to view inappropriate adverts.

However, companies like Google are also beholden to much stricter regulations on the type of services they can provide to young children than just a few years ago. As of 2023, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) means tech firms in the US are severely limited when it comes to things like sending push notifications to keep kids scrolling or collecting data.

About Will McCurdy

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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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