# Can Kids Really Use AI Safely? (Older kids, parents, & teachers)

An episode of [AI for Kids](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1745917083), 9 Sep 2025, 41 min.

Audio: https://pdcn.co/e/www.buzzsprout.com/2345747/episodes/17804278-can-kids-really-use-ai-safely-older-kids-parents-teachers.mp3

Send us Fan Mail Diya Wynn, Responsible AI Lead at Amazon Web Services, takes us on a remarkable journey from her childhood in the South Bronx to becoming a technology leader championing fairness in artificial intelligence. Her story begins with a pivotal moment at age eight when, after receiving a basic computer as an academic achievement award, she declared she wanted to be a computer engineer—a path that would shape her entire professional life. What makes Diya's perspective so valuable is how she demystifies AI for families. Rather than presenting artificial intelligence as some futuristic concept, she helps us recognize how it's already woven into our daily lives through search engines, streaming recommendations, and customer service interactions. This familiarity makes AI more approachable for both parents and children navigating today's digital landscape. For children curious about future careers, Diya offers reassuring guidance. As AI continues changing the job landscape, she emphasizes developing timeless human capabilities—critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and effective communication—that will remain valuable regardless of technological evolution. Her message inspires young listeners to approach technology with curiosity rather than fear. Resources Mentioned in the Episode • Amber invited kids (through their parents) to share stories or be guests. Email: contact@aidigitales.com • Diya described her role leading Responsible AI initiatives at Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS Responsible AI page: https://aws.amazon.com/ai/responsible-ai/ • Code.org – Free coding lessons and AI-related activities. https://code.org • PartyRock by AWS – A fun, no-code way to create generative AI apps. https://partyrock.aws • Google AI courses for beginners (referenced as free learning resources). https://ai.google/education/ • Microsoft Learn (free coding & AI training modules). https://learn.microsoft.com/training/ • Data Science Camp (DMV area) https://datasciencecamp.org Support the show Hey parents and teachers, if you want to stay on top of the AI news shaping your kids’ world, subscribe to our weekly AI for Kids Weekly newsletter: https://aiforkidsweekly.beehiiv.com/ Help us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids, parents, teachers, and families. Gift or get the ABCs of AI Activity Deck to introduce your kids 5-9 to AI literacy. Like our content? patreon.com/AiDigiTales Get or gift the book “AI… Meets… AI” Social Media & Contact: • Website: www.aidigitales.com • Email: contact@aidigitales.com • Follow Us: Instagram • Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets Listen, rate, and subscribe! • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Music • Spotify • ...

## Chapters

- 0:00 Welcome Back to AI for Kids
- 4:45 Meet Dia: From Early Tech to Responsible AI
- 9:45 Childhood Influences and Computer Beginnings
- 18:50 Understanding Responsible AI for Kids
- 22:35 AI's Impact: Jobs, Learning, and Screen Time
- 29:57 Using Technology Responsibly and Safely
- 34:27 Cool Projects and Career Insights
- 39:57 Final Advice and Staying Curious

## Transcript

[0:30] Amber Ivey: Welcome to the AI for Kids podcast, the podcast for moms, aunties and teachers who want the kids they love to understand AI without more screen time.
[0:39] Amber Ivey: We keep it simple, safe and fun, no tech degree required.
[0:44] Amber Ivey: Each episode breaks down AI ideas and includes activities to help kids use AI in ways that keep them curious and creative.
[0:53] Amber Ivey: No pressure, no overwhelm, no extra screens, just clear, engaging learning you can feel good about.
[0:59] Amber Ivey: Let's get started.
[1:00] Amber Ivey: Welcome back, everybody.
[1:03] Amber Ivey: I hope you enjoyed your summer.
[1:04] Amber Ivey: This is Amber Ivey with AI for Kids and we are back for season three of the AI for Kids podcast.
[1:11] Amber Ivey: Our goal here is simple we try to make artificial intelligence, aka AI, safe and fun to learn about, and I'm your host.
[1:18] Amber Ivey: Amber Ivey, did you have a good summer break?
[1:21] Amber Ivey: I hope you got to meet some new friends, learn something new and maybe even try some AI tools this season.
[1:28] Amber Ivey: I really want to hear from you If you've tried out AI, like chatting with a robot, building a robot, building something with code, or even asking Alexa a cool question.
[1:38] Amber Ivey: I would love to have you on the podcast.
[1:40] Amber Ivey: Ask a grownup to send me an email at contact at aidigitalscom.
[1:48] Amber Ivey: I'll also make sure it's in the show notes.
[1:49] Amber Ivey: Tell me your name, what you did and what you'd love to talk about.
[1:51] Amber Ivey: Now let's jump into the season.
[1:53] Amber Ivey: Hi everyone.
[1:55] Amber Ivey: Welcome back to AI for Kids.
[1:56] Amber Ivey: Today we have an incredible guest.
[1:58] Amber Ivey: Please welcome Diya Nguyen, the responsible AI lead at one of our most interesting tech companies.
[2:04] Amber Ivey: I'll let her tell you more about it.
[2:05] Amber Ivey: Diya, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and why you started working with AI?
[2:10] Diya Wynn: Good afternoon everyone.
[2:11] Diya Wynn: Yes, I am Diya Nguyen, I live in Maryland and I've been in technology for over 25 years, so a long time ago when we were just getting started with the internet.
[2:23] Diya Wynn: I know that doesn't make sense to some of you, but and I started working in AI actually because of my sons.
[2:31] Diya Wynn: So I have two boys and I was very interested in thinking about the things that we could do to make sure that they were learning and getting all they needed in order to be able to get jobs in the future, and I didn't think schools were doing a great job.
[2:48] Diya Wynn: So I started researching and exploring things and, as I did, there were a couple of things that they were talking about that were trends, like shaping the way that we would be working in the future.
[2:59] Diya Wynn: One of those was data and saying that data was driving everything and data-driven organizations.
[3:06] Diya Wynn: And then they talked about AI and robots, and we always equate robots to AI, for whatever reasons, I guess because of the media.
[3:15] Diya Wynn: And then it was the metaverse and like virtual reality, 3d worlds, and one of the things that I found as I was doing that research was it was really absence of voices that looked like my sons and we actually are seeing disparate or problems that occur when you don't have the voice and perspective of everyone included, that these systems sometimes aren't doing things that are beneficial to everyone, that they might actually cause them harm or cause them not to have the same access or opportunity.
[3:48] Diya Wynn: So I wanted to be a part of doing something about that, and I work for a big company, amazon, on the technology side at Amazon Web Services, and so we have this really cool process where we can present new ideas.
[4:04] Diya Wynn: They call it Think Big and I presented my idea and got it supported, so they funded it for me to start some new work around responsible AI for our customers.
[4:15] Amber Ivey: Oh, wow, that is so cool.
[4:17] Amber Ivey: Some of my friends work for Amazon, so I remember hearing about the idea of Think Big.
[4:20] Amber Ivey: I've never seen anyone actually successfully pitch something, so it's so cool that you were able to think about what was the future.
[4:25] Amber Ivey: You're able to identify a few places that would make sense for you and then go to your current company to say, hey, invest in me, invest in this thing.
[4:32] Amber Ivey: I love that and I love that you were able to do that where you are currently.
[4:36] Amber Ivey: I want to go way back to when we were younger.
[4:39] Amber Ivey: What was your favorite subject when you were a kid and did you always love technology or the idea of technology?
[4:46] Diya Wynn: So my favorite subject was math and I was really good at math.
[4:49] Diya Wynn: I don't know why I loved math, but probably because I was good in it Maybe.
[4:52] Diya Wynn: I mean I did pretty well in most of my classes.
[4:55] Diya Wynn: I really was a bit of a nerd actually, and I know that.
[5:01] Diya Wynn: I say it's not a bad thing.
[5:03] Diya Wynn: I tell my sons it's not a bad thing, but not everybody wants to be called a nerd.
[5:07] Diya Wynn: But I loved math and it was a lot of fun, even though in later years it got harder to do and I decided that I was going to be in technology.
[5:18] Diya Wynn: So, oh wow, I guess I've always been interested in technology.
[5:22] Amber Ivey: In the third grade I was eight years old the cool thing about that is that you had the foresight or whatever it was to like know that's something you wanted to work.
[5:31] Amber Ivey: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why so?
[5:36] Diya Wynn: it would be.
[5:37] Diya Wynn: Like you know, wonder Woman has that truth telling lasso, the ability to make people tell the truth.
[5:43] Diya Wynn: I don't like being lied to, I guess.
[5:47] Diya Wynn: So I think you know I think the truth works best.
[5:50] Diya Wynn: So if I could force people into the truth, I think it would make it easier to be able to do some things we want and to be able to navigate relationships a little better.
[5:58] Amber Ivey: There you go.
[5:58] Amber Ivey: If we ever figure that out with AI, please let me know so I can buy one.
[6:01] Amber Ivey: We're going to buy one right, right Immediately.
[6:05] Amber Ivey: So let's go back to what you said earlier.
[6:07] Amber Ivey: You said in third grade you knew you wanted to be in technology.
[6:10] Amber Ivey: In third grade I knew I wanted a snack, so we were very different levels.
[6:15] Amber Ivey: But I also learned that you received your first computer in third grade and you decided to be a computer engineer very early on.
[6:22] Amber Ivey: Can you tell us how did that happen, like what made you think you wanted to do that in third grade, at eight?
[6:28] Diya Wynn: It's honestly I don't know when I think back at that time.
[6:32] Diya Wynn: My mom was a teacher, my grandmother was a teacher.
[6:36] Diya Wynn: My grandmother was a teacher.
[6:36] Diya Wynn: I come from a family of teachers and engineering wasn't something, or computers wasn't something, that they promoted to young girls or young kids in the hood.
[6:49] Diya Wynn: I grew up in the South Bronx, so it's not like they were talking about those kinds of careers at all.
[7:10] Diya Wynn: I had never seen anyone that was in technology and for women it was like you could be a homemaker, you can be a teacher, having high achievement scores and reading and math on the standardized tests, and it was an award very basic computer in comparison to the kind of technology we have today.
[7:22] Diya Wynn: And I said I wanted to be a computer engineer.
[7:26] Diya Wynn: And and there we go.
[7:27] Diya Wynn: So I've been in technology ever since.
[7:30] Diya Wynn: I set that emotion.
[7:31] Diya Wynn: You know some people say like you speak things into existence, you call those things, you manifest them is another way.
[7:38] Diya Wynn: That was kind of what happened for me.
[7:40] Diya Wynn: I never knew anyone who was a computer engineer until later in my years, so I don't know where I got that phrase or whatever from, but it was the exposure to the computer that piqued my interest and that's what created what you know has happened to me today, that Iiqued my interest and that's what created what has happened to me today, that I've been in technology and those that I've been in all my life, all my professional career.
[8:03] Amber Ivey: That is so amazing and one of the reasons why I wanted to do this podcast was for that reason.
[8:10] Amber Ivey: So kids, that age they say the 5% of brain or something like that develops by the time a kid is five.
[8:15] Amber Ivey: Then there's that other age five to, I think, like 11, where there's like this mastery that can come with you using things like computers or doing activities and having skill sets that you have at an early age that if you're doing a really good job at those at that age you're going to be further along than someone who is my age trying to do it, even if I put in more years of time because the time you did it, and I think that's even testament in your example, because you were able to get it early and you never left that field.
[8:42] Amber Ivey: Can you tell us, like what were some of the things you were doing on your first computer, any favorite games or programs?
[8:49] Diya Wynn: Listen it was.
[8:50] Diya Wynn: When I say basic, it was basic.
[8:52] Diya Wynn: So there was like a rectangle stick on one side and a rectangle block on the other side and it hit a square-ish ball in brown and orange color because we didn't even have full color at the time.
[9:06] Diya Wynn: So yes, I'm that old, we didn't have full color.
[9:10] Diya Wynn: So I mean that was Pong, if anyone's heard of that.
[9:13] Diya Wynn: It's very simple.
[9:14] Diya Wynn: I mean it literally is like shapes on a screen.
[9:18] Diya Wynn: Oh yeah, that was basic and we could make colors run across the screen and hello, world type.
[9:25] Diya Wynn: That would run print lines, you know, multiple times or in horizontals across the screen.
[9:31] Diya Wynn: It was very basic, very basic, but it was fascinating to me and I love what you said, amber, because it is the exposure.
[9:40] Diya Wynn: I tell kids all the time be open to new ideas like try stuff right.
[9:45] Diya Wynn: This opportunity for me exposed me to a world I didn't know and that changed my world right.
[9:50] Diya Wynn: It changed my idea, my perception.
[9:53] Diya Wynn: I think that's true for students as well, that once we, you know, take advantage of opportunities, we get introduced to new things.
[10:00] Diya Wynn: It opens a world for us that we might not have known, that you could possibly embrace and do something new or do something different.
[10:10] Amber Ivey: That's so true and thank you for saying that, because it's so important for kids, like you said, to get early exposure, for you to even know it's an option you get in that computer, open your mind to a career.
[10:20] Amber Ivey: That's amazing, and now you're able to share it with others and as well as like how you're thinking about you're interacting with your own kids, like it just has such a follow-on effect that I'm glad you were able to highlight.
[10:29] Amber Ivey: One of the things I think that's cool about your career is that you want to work, or you work to make sure AI treats everyone fairly.
[10:37] Amber Ivey: Can you talk a little bit about what responsible AI is Like?
[10:41] Amber Ivey: Literally, what is it and why is it important for kids to know about?
[10:46] Diya Wynn: Yeah, so it's exactly what you described.
[10:48] Diya Wynn: I mean I could use a whole bunch of big words, but in reality it's doing the work kind of policing the systems to make sure not just the systems but companies too to make sure that the technology is safe, that it actually doesn't harm people and, ideally, that it's something that all of us could benefit from.
[11:12] Diya Wynn: A lot of our technology is created by people that don't have the same perspective or don't have some of the lived experiences that we do, so they don't see some of the things that could be harmful.
[11:22] Diya Wynn: Or and I don't think a lot of times it's people being mean or bad, it's just they're not thinking right and they don't actually.
[11:30] Diya Wynn: They get the luxury of not having to think about some of this stuff sometimes, but the way that AI is being used now in so many different businesses applications in you know, getting money, funding resources, healthcare we want to make sure that that stuff isn't going to be harmful and that we can get the same benefits that everybody else does.
[12:21] Amber Ivey: So true.
[12:21] Amber Ivey: When kids are thinking about that, how does that directly help them?
[12:26] Amber Ivey: Or how should I think about it as a kid, when I think about harm with AI and why it matters to make sure it is responsible and it does do the right thing?
[12:36] Diya Wynn: Yeah, I think for kids it's, you know.
[12:38] Diya Wynn: I mean, a lot of our students are on social media and so some of the things that are happening with kids on social media is that sometimes people, adults are not always being kind in, you know, in circles, and they can do things to try to attract kids.
[12:56] Diya Wynn: So they'll use the technology in ways to be able to do that, to convince kids to engage with them.
[13:02] Diya Wynn: They're getting smarter about that.
[13:03] Diya Wynn: I think the other thing is that because we put so much information on the internet, sometimes someone will take that information, create a fake voice or a fake video and imaging of you and they can actually try to get ransom and money from your parents or someone that you love, because they're saying that that's you and they know so much about you because we, you know, you told them where you are and so they could say well, you're in Virginia and I'm having problems and I need money right away.
[13:31] Diya Wynn: Right, that's harmful ways in which people are using the technology and that's happening a lot right now.
[13:36] Diya Wynn: But it also in some of the games and even in our virtual reality games, like in the metaverse, et cetera.
[13:42] Diya Wynn: Right, we're doing a lot to make sure that AI is underneath all that stuff too, but trying to make sure that people interacting feel safe and aren't harmed and there've been cases where you know inappropriate interactions in those environments that we want to safeguard from our children as well, so that they don't get depressed, they're not feeling bullied.
[14:02] Diya Wynn: All that is a part of it too.
[14:05] Amber Ivey: That's so true, and one of the things that you mentioned around, like just the voice and the amount of things we share online, I didn't realize how young you could be online nowadays, cause when social media came out first like it was restrictions on it Like think about Facebook it was for college students.
[14:20] Amber Ivey: Then it opened up, then it was like 18 and older, but now I'm like you can go on these sites as a teenager and, yeah, 13,.
[14:28] Amber Ivey: It's wild to me that age is so young, but, to your point, people can.
[14:32] Amber Ivey: Because of that, we're now putting out videos, voice pictures, all these things that AI can be trained on, or you can plug those things into an AI to manipulate them or use them so that, like you said, people can literally get a phone call from you thinking that you've been kidnapped, when you're at home in your room or downstairs, your mom's at work getting a phone call that she'd been kidnapped and then transferring money to someone Like.
[14:53] Amber Ivey: We've heard a lot about that happening in the recent times.
[14:56] Amber Ivey: So thank you for calling it out, because I think that's just something kids have to be aware of.
[15:00] Diya Wynn: Another example that happens is sometimes like the kids will take and share images with one another and somebody will like change your face or make it you know an inappropriate image of you and then start sharing that out as well, and a lot of that's happening because we can now do that much more easily with AI and those you know really can ruin people's reputations and create a lot of conditions of harm and embarrassment as well.
[15:28] Diya Wynn: Those are similar kinds of situations where we want to make sure that we can teach people you know ways in which to hopefully not do those kinds of things, but also you know for that there are laws that stop people from doing it too, so that our children and our adults aren't harmed.
[15:44] Amber Ivey: Speaking of laws, I do want to talk about that as well.
[15:47] Amber Ivey: So I know you travel the world and you talk to everyone about AI and you even get to meet with people who make the law or lawmakers.
[15:54] Amber Ivey: What do lawmakers have to do with this and why is it important that you talk to them about topics like AI?
[16:01] Diya Wynn: Well, so the interesting thing is that our lawmakers most of them aren't technologists.
[16:04] Diya Wynn: They don't.
[16:05] Diya Wynn: They didn't get hired right for their jobs in you know the Senate because they knew technology.
[16:11] Diya Wynn: It was because they knew politics right or supposedly cared about the people in their state or their city.
[16:17] Diya Wynn: So a lot of times these lawmakers are senators and are governors.
[16:23] Diya Wynn: They have no idea what the technology really is.
[16:27] Diya Wynn: They're ignorant in that way.
[16:29] Diya Wynn: So a lot of our conversations are just about like trying to help them understand the ways that technology really works, not some of the stuff that we hear, you know, online or in social media or on the news, because sometimes those things aren't true, but help them really understand how it works and to talk about the things that are realistic, that we can do.
[16:51] Diya Wynn: You know, if we start to create laws like like what can we do to be safer and and those sorts of things.
[16:57] Diya Wynn: So I mean it's important, because what I was just describing, like if you take somebody else's picture or image of them and do something harmful, well, we want that to be unlawful.
[17:08] Diya Wynn: Like that, you get in trouble for doing that.
[17:10] Diya Wynn: You can't do that.
[17:11] Diya Wynn: So that's something that we, you know, we talk about, that they should be creating in laws to make sure that we protect people.
[17:17] Amber Ivey: Yeah, Because right now, like you said, if I went into politics because I wanted to make the world a better place or help people and I didn't go to school, I not like you, where I've had the experience of understanding computers.
[17:28] Amber Ivey: In that way I'm just trying to do a different job, but now I'm having to create laws around something that I fully don't understand.
[17:35] Amber Ivey: So I'm glad people like you are there to talk to them.
[17:38] Diya Wynn: Yeah, we want to be their partners to help them understand that and hopefully come out better Like everybody comes out better because they have a better understanding and we hopefully get some of the laws that we ultimately want them to have so that we're safe.
[17:51] Amber Ivey: I really appreciate you for doing that.
[17:52] Amber Ivey: So I want to shift it a little bit.
[18:00] Amber Ivey: So you have been involved with computers for a while.
[18:01] Amber Ivey: How can kids start creating their own technology and not just using it?
[18:03] Amber Ivey: For those who are creators, who are saying, hey, this computer is great, I'm glad I have a cell phone or whatever, but I want to do more, I want to create my own technology.
[18:10] Amber Ivey: What are some of the things that you would share with them?
[18:15] Diya Wynn: Yeah, I think so.
[18:17] Diya Wynn: It's so easy, right, and I'm saying that but it's much easier than it used to be to be able to get access to some of the tools that you need to be able to make technology, and so I would encourage students to try.
[18:29] Diya Wynn: So there is Codeorg, and our company has something called Party Rock that lets people try and try to create generative AI apps.
[18:40] Diya Wynn: We work with Codeorg and do a lot with them in terms of teaching and educating students.
[18:45] Diya Wynn: There are so many different now free programs as well that students can get online.
[18:50] Diya Wynn: I know Google has some courses, microsoft does too, right All with the intention of giving people skills, and now you can do things with just like drag and drop to learn how to program first and then get more advanced.
[19:05] Diya Wynn: So I would encourage them, if they have an idea, try it out.
[19:09] Amber Ivey: That's such a good point because how coding language has evolved, how it's gotten easier, there are coding languages that have been able to basically skip steps from, like original codes whether it was C plus or et cetera where you can literally do like you said.
[19:22] Amber Ivey: There's also like no code sites to help you understand the whole process.
[19:26] Amber Ivey: So I appreciate you for calling that out.
[19:27] Amber Ivey: I want to take a quick break to do a fun segment.
[19:31] Amber Ivey: So we do a quick game called Tech Trivia.
[19:34] Amber Ivey: I'm going to ask you some fun questions about technology.
[19:36] Amber Ivey: They're going to be pretty quick, so I need you to answer as quickly as you can.
[19:39] Amber Ivey: Kids at home make sure you also play as well.
[19:41] Amber Ivey: If you don't get them right, that's totally fine.
[19:43] Amber Ivey: So no pressure.
[19:44] Amber Ivey: But we'll start with.
[19:46] Amber Ivey: What does NLP stand for?
[19:51] Diya Wynn: Natural Language Processing Awesome, okay, great Natural language processing.
[19:55] Amber Ivey: Awesome, Okay, great.
[19:56] Amber Ivey: First question down, Okay.
[19:58] Amber Ivey: Next one is when was the first algorithm created or at least credited with this creation?
[20:06] Diya Wynn: Oh, that I would say in the 1950s.
[20:09] Diya Wynn: I don't have the exact year, I think it was 52.
[20:23] Amber Ivey: So the first algorithm was created in something called the analytical engine in 1843.
[20:25] Amber Ivey: But also to point out algorithms at least from what we understand of them, as algorithms in general have been around for literally hundreds of years.
[20:30] Amber Ivey: So that one, I'm like that's a hard one to answer, because math what was this algorithm doing?
[20:35] Amber Ivey: So technically, ada Lovelace wrote the first algorithm and Charles Babbage used it in an analytical engine in 1843.
[20:44] Amber Ivey: Ah, thank you, and hopefully we all just learned something, because I learned something in looking for this answer.
[20:50] Amber Ivey: But it's just cool to see the evolution of this technology and it's cool to be talking to someone who's been able to see some of the evolution as you started your career so early in technology.
[21:00] Diya Wynn: Amber, you know I tell people all the time like there's nothing to be afraid of because we use it every day.
[21:04] Diya Wynn: We just don't realize that every time we write an email, a text message, we call customer service.
[21:09] Diya Wynn: So, true, right, we like decide what we're going to watch on Netflix, we purchase things online, like.
[21:15] Diya Wynn: All of that has AI underpinning.
[21:18] Diya Wynn: I mean, every time we use a search engine.
[21:20] Diya Wynn: Right, it's.
[21:21] Diya Wynn: We've been working around and using AI for a very long time, and so those are the examples that I call out as well, to help people remember, or at least know, that it's been around you and you've been using it.
[21:33] Diya Wynn: So there's less to fear, things for us to be concerned about, but less to fear.
[21:38] Amber Ivey: And speaking of concerns, we know technology can both help and harm people or harm.
[21:44] Amber Ivey: Whatever system is working, and if it's not people, animals, climate, whatever it is we have, there's adverse reactions that happen with technology.
[21:51] Amber Ivey: Can you tell us about some of the good things and bad things, particularly about AI, that you're thinking about on a regular basis?
[21:58] Diya Wynn: Well.
[21:58] Diya Wynn: So one of the bad things I think about is you know, what do we need to do?
[22:03] Diya Wynn: Because we know that people's jobs will change, right, or that some people will lose their jobs because now AI can do things that are routine and repetitive, but it also now is moving into the area of creativity, like being able to create new things words, poems, music, art, right, and so how is that going to disrupt people that have those jobs today?
[22:27] Diya Wynn: And that's one of the things that I think about and also talk to people about, like having actual plans and paths to be able to re-skill or train people so that they can be prepared for something new or something else, and that we just don't have a bunch of people that are unemployed.
[22:43] Diya Wynn: I also think a lot about one of the good things I'll share is that I just see it as being an opportunity to level the playing field.
[22:53] Diya Wynn: What I mean by that is make things a little fairer.
[22:55] Diya Wynn: Who haven't always had opportunity in the same level of access you mentioned, like having no code?
[23:02] Diya Wynn: Well, before, only the people who could have money could get trained and go to school to be able to learn AI right.
[23:11] Diya Wynn: Now it's a lot easier that we have so many other free programs and opportunities to be able to learn that.
[23:17] Diya Wynn: So that means that I don't it's not resigned to just the rich or affluent or people that go to certain schools that now can learn this.
[23:24] Diya Wynn: Other people can as well, but then that also turns into things for education.
[23:30] Diya Wynn: You know what happens when I now can give everybody a similar learning experience, irrespective of the fact that you have ADHD or you might be dyslexic or whatever, and I can make that much more aligned to how you learn in your class, and we're doing that more with AI and looking for other ways to give people personalized learning experiences that can help them.
[23:55] Diya Wynn: Those are the things that I think are really good, because it helps give space for people that often have been underrepresented or under-served.
[24:05] Diya Wynn: Hopefully think that that also creates better opportunity for us to have more equity, for things to be fairer for everyone.
[24:12] Diya Wynn: One other area of concern I have is just how much AI is being used and that we keep getting more and more sucked into this digital world where we aren't talking to people and interacting with people more, and I just think that that is so important for us.
[24:31] Diya Wynn: We actually need it.
[24:32] Diya Wynn: So I know sometimes we might be comfortable, and our kids are comfortable with being on their phones all the time and talking to people on a screen or through their headsets, but there is something that is so valuable about us being able to be in connection and conversation with people in person and we still need that.
[24:51] Diya Wynn: So I think about that a lot too.
[24:53] Amber Ivey: You said a lot of different nuggets.
[24:55] Amber Ivey: I want to pull on a few threads.
[24:57] Amber Ivey: So one thing you mentioned was around just careers, and things are going to shift.
[25:00] Amber Ivey: People ask me all the time is AI going to take my job?
[25:04] Amber Ivey: I have an answer.
[25:06] Amber Ivey: I don't know if it's the right answer, but the question I want to ask you is if I'm a kid growing up in this society and in reality I don't know what the jobs are going to be in the next, say, I'm 10, 12 or whatever I don't know what the jobs are going to be in the next eight to 10 years.
[25:21] Amber Ivey: What is the best advice you give your two sons or kids like that, who are trying to think about careers and how to navigate a world where we don't know what careers are going to exist in the next 10 years?
[25:32] Diya Wynn: There are a couple of things One is I talk about, like you know, we used to go to school and some people went to schools like to get these technician jobs right so I can help with x-rays and be a technician, you know, in radiology, or a legal secretary or legal aid right.
[25:49] Diya Wynn: Well, those are the kinds of things that AI can do.
[25:52] Diya Wynn: It can do that easy.
[25:53] Diya Wynn: It can scan through and read those images, read the x-rays, pull out insights, send those back to the doctor we're still going to need the doctor, we won't need the tech right.
[26:03] Diya Wynn: Or the same thing with back to the doctor we're still going to need the doctor, we won't need the tech right.
[26:04] Diya Wynn: Or the same thing with, like the legal aid We'll need somebody to represent in law right, the lawyer but the aid or that secretary may not be as useful.
[26:14] Diya Wynn: So that's something to think about, like some of those lower level or entry level roles sometimes that are supporting but have much more mundane things, might be displaced.
[26:25] Diya Wynn: But then the other thing that I would say is like what do I need to know then?
[26:29] Diya Wynn: Like what can?
[26:30] Diya Wynn: Well, we don't know with jobs, but having critical thinking is important, being able to solve problems, like so that problem solving, being emotionally intelligent, like being aware of your surroundings, how you impact and interact with people I was talking about that before Really really important.
[26:48] Diya Wynn: Good communication, good writing, skills like those things never die right.
[26:56] Diya Wynn: And that actually is going to be a good foundation for you to move into some of the other opportunities as we figure out what they will be.
[27:04] Amber Ivey: That's such a good point and I love that you mentioned things like problem solving skills, communication like being a human right, the thing that a computer unless there's AGI in the future, a computer can't fully get those things right now right, so I think that's so important.
[27:19] Amber Ivey: But you also mentioned earlier the thing around the screens and how people are on social media all the time, on FaceTime, things in our ears, listening getting all this input in.
[27:29] Amber Ivey: How do I, as a young person who's growing up in this technology world and that's all I've known navigate also being able to have good communication skills and the other things you mentioned?
[27:39] Amber Ivey: What are some things I should think about when I interact with this technology?
[27:43] Diya Wynn: I think it's exactly what you said, like navigate yourself off.
[27:50] Diya Wynn: One of the things I did with my sons and they didn't like it at the beginning but they're used to it now because they've always had this is that during the school week we don't do technology unless it's specifically for their assignment in school, but then they get off their Chromebooks or whatever and they're not on social media until three o'clock or 3.30, whatever the end of the school day on Friday and then they dumb out until Sunday.
[28:12] Diya Wynn: But we try to limit that time so we force them into opportunities where they have to do something else.
[28:17] Diya Wynn: Now, hopefully the students that are listening here don't have to be forced, but you actually take breaks away and you plan time to like sit with a friend or to have a conversation or to go to Six Flags and be around people and interact.
[28:32] Diya Wynn: I think those things like stepping away from it and there are lots of things now that are helping to track our screen time and all that kind of stuff, or helping to track our screen time and all that kind of stuff Anything that we do in excess leads to error.
[28:46] Diya Wynn: So we should think about that, like with technology, but anything generally that we need to like have some balance there.
[28:53] Amber Ivey: Oh yeah, I appreciate you saying balance.
[28:55] Amber Ivey: I think even the parents who are listening are also like, yeah, I need to do it myself, but I do get that.
[29:00] Amber Ivey: It's hard because they grew up in it.
[29:01] Amber Ivey: But I love the fact that you said, even if it's not during the school week, and then they're able to engage in it in a way that's appropriate so that again they can learn those other skills that you mentioned.
[29:11] Amber Ivey: I think that's just so important.
[29:12] Amber Ivey: So thank you for calling it out.
[29:13] Amber Ivey: I did want to ask another question around just technology usage for kids.
[29:17] Amber Ivey: What are some simple ways kids can make sure they use technologies in a good way?
[29:22] Amber Ivey: Back to the whole idea of responsible AI how can I, as a kid, make sure that I am also contributing to responsible AI and responsible tech?
[29:33] Diya Wynn: So the first thing I would say is don't trust everything that you read or that you receive or that you hear online.
[29:38] Diya Wynn: So many people can create stuff.
[29:40] Diya Wynn: I just got a message from it was like my phone company and it wasn't them right, but somebody texted me Anyway.
[29:47] Diya Wynn: So there's so many ways that people are creating fake stuff is the point.
[29:52] Diya Wynn: So that don't believe everything you trust, but verify.
[29:55] Diya Wynn: You check.
[29:56] Diya Wynn: You check your sources, you check the information.
[29:58] Diya Wynn: You want to actually double check to make sure that information that you're receiving is actually real.
[30:04] Diya Wynn: I wouldn't click on links unless you know where the source is, and you can always look in your email or at the links and if they look a little strange or you don't know the sender, just be very, very careful with that.
[30:15] Diya Wynn: That's not AI, that's just technology in general.
[30:18] Diya Wynn: But I think the big thing is like don't trust everything that you read and hear.
[30:22] Diya Wynn: Verify your sources, you know.
[30:24] Diya Wynn: Check a couple of other sources before you share or that you assume that it's, you know, the gospel truth.
[30:30] Diya Wynn: And the other thing I think is you know, be careful about, like, what you share, distribute and send around as well, so that you make sure that you may not be introducing or sharing something that may be inappropriate and or harmful.
[30:44] Diya Wynn: And then the other thing is, if you're using these systems most of them, like if you're using any public apps today, a lot of those have, you know, an interface for you to be able to provide feedback.
[30:55] Diya Wynn: If you see, like, the responses are wrong or it's not truthful when you know you found out, or you think that, like you see a result and it kind of is a stereotype and it's not truthful when you know you found out, or you think that, like you see a result and it kind of it's a stereotype and it and it's actually harmful, you make you feel a certain way that you provide feedback.
[31:09] Diya Wynn: That's something that you get to do, but it also helps the systems and those teams improve the way that that that technology is operating and functioning I love the feedback response.
[31:21] Amber Ivey: I love everything, everything you said, but the feedback piece I hadn't thought about or heard before and I'm like, oh yeah, that's a good point for kids to use that and to think about what it means to test but verify, or check but verify, because we tell the kids to check their work when they're doing math or whatever Same thing here.
[31:37] Amber Ivey: I love that Like check your work, check what you did, check the response, check the AI's work to make sure you have exactly what you need.
[31:44] Amber Ivey: But that's really good.
[31:46] Diya Wynn: And don't copy everything word for word.
[31:49] Diya Wynn: Please don't, don't, don't, don't.
[31:52] Diya Wynn: I know there's like a rule of thumb.
[31:54] Diya Wynn: Just like we used to do, I used to have to go to the library and open up Encyclopedia Britannica.
[31:59] Diya Wynn: You all don't have those books anymore, but we would always be told that you can't like copy word for word from the dictionary or from the encyclopedia.
[32:09] Diya Wynn: Don't copy word for word from any chat interface that you use or any generative AI you want to like review it, make it your own, make adjustments to it, but never copy it exactly as it is.
[32:23] Amber Ivey: Thank you so much for all these nuggets, like you were just making me literally reframe how I think about AI, cause a lot of times we're like AI, is this thing that so different?
[32:31] Amber Ivey: But in reality, you're literally applying common sense things that we have learned growing up, particularly in our generation, that we can also apply to this generation, cause I know I'm on a few different web forms where I listen to parents talk about their issues when it comes to digital technology and you see all this fear and all these things.
[32:51] Amber Ivey: But some of the things you just called out today are very much so common sense principles.
[32:55] Amber Ivey: They are aware of them.
[32:56] Amber Ivey: Just apply it to this tool and you've made it so easy for people to understand how to take this tool that seems new, a little bit scary and apply literally things that we know and we do on a regular basis with other areas of our life.
[33:08] Amber Ivey: So I really appreciate you for bringing that perspective, because definitely need it and it also helped me to reframe how I think about these things and how I talk about these things to people.
[33:16] Amber Ivey: So I really appreciate that.
[33:18] Amber Ivey: Can you tell us about a project or something cool you're working on that you may want to share with the kids who are listening in.
[33:26] Diya Wynn: Something cool is that I'm changing my idea I was going to give you about a video game that I was working with.
[33:34] Diya Wynn: You're trying to create safer spaces for the students to connect in the video game.
[33:39] Diya Wynn: You know there's a lot of grooming that can happen in these environments.
[33:43] Diya Wynn: So using AI to like, scan conversations and better understand, like connections and the ages of those individuals, to hopefully root out people that might be trying to get to students that shouldn't be.
[33:58] Diya Wynn: We need that, get the players that shouldn't be and try to create more safer connections.
[34:03] Diya Wynn: So that's something cool.
[34:04] Diya Wynn: It's a video game platform and we're doing that for.
[34:08] Diya Wynn: But I was gonna say, like, one of the cool things is working with this data science camp.
[34:13] Diya Wynn: So we're getting ready for another year.
[34:15] Diya Wynn: I think this is gonna be the 11th year that the data science camp has been around and it'll be the first year that I'm working with them.
[34:22] Diya Wynn: And the reason why I think it's cool is because the part that I like is a sports science camp and we have one of the former NFL football players that is a, you know, sponsor of that, and so the kids get to like be around the football player and like that.
[34:39] Diya Wynn: I think a lot of them think that's cool, but it's also fun because you get to see how data and AI is actually shaping sports, and for a lot of our students they like sports.
[34:49] Diya Wynn: I do too.
[34:51] Amber Ivey: There's another interview I was having with someone where we talked about how kids often think that AI and sports don't go together, or math and sports don't go together, but they literally do, like so many pieces of sports it's like everywhere so much it's like Everywhere.
[35:04] Amber Ivey: To be a great athlete and also to have, like math or these other, skill sets can even enhance it even better.
[35:10] Amber Ivey: So thank you for calling it out.
[35:12] Amber Ivey: How can kids get involved with that?
[35:14] Amber Ivey: Like, what's the age group for the data science camp?
[35:16] Amber Ivey: I'll also put it in the show notes, but any other information?
[35:19] Amber Ivey: Oh yeah.
[35:21] Diya Wynn: So it's data science camp, data science camporg, and yeah, so it starts mid July timeframe two weeks and it's a matter of them signing up and it is for those in the DMV because they do.
[35:36] Diya Wynn: We do have in person sessions as well as virtual.
[35:42] Diya Wynn: Well, one of the in person stuff.
[35:42] Diya Wynn: Stuff is pretty cool because we get to do things like take them to the skill center and they go to Bowie State University and some things as well.
[35:48] Diya Wynn: So it's pretty cool.
[35:50] Diya Wynn: But students from ninth to 12th grade, so high school students- Nice, I love it.
[35:57] Amber Ivey: So look out for that, check it out in the notes.
[35:59] Amber Ivey: So whenever you get to be that age, or if you're already there, make sure you sign up for that camp, for sure.
[36:04] Amber Ivey: I want to ask another few fun questions.
[36:08] Amber Ivey: So, instead of going through through your bio in a way that kids may not want to hear it from us, we do something called two truths and a dream.
[36:16] Amber Ivey: So basically, you'll share two true facts about your life and then one dream job that you had potentially wanted to be when you were a kid.
[36:25] Amber Ivey: So two facts about your life that are related to your career and then one dream job, and then I'll have to guess, as well as the kids at home, which one is a dream.
[36:33] Diya Wynn: I worked for planning the Obama inaugural ball when he was elected.
[36:40] Diya Wynn: Okay, I got to guest lecture on responsible AI in Ireland.
[36:49] Amber Ivey: Okay.
[36:49] Diya Wynn: Oh, wow.
[36:50] Amber Ivey: These were good either way.
[36:52] Diya Wynn: And I traveled to Africa to teach computers and technology.
[36:59] Amber Ivey: Okay, so kids think at home which one of these is the fact and which one's the dream job.
[37:04] Amber Ivey: The first was helping to plan Obama's inaugural ball.
[37:07] Amber Ivey: The second one was teaching a responsible AI class in Ireland.
[37:12] Amber Ivey: And third was going to Africa to teach computer and technology classes as well.
[37:17] Amber Ivey: Let me think so.
[37:19] Amber Ivey: When you said the Obama one, I was like did she give out her dream like real quick in the beginning.
[37:24] Amber Ivey: So I was like, but then I also believe you would actually have done that.
[37:28] Amber Ivey: You're local in the area that could possibly happen Responsible AI.
[37:33] Amber Ivey: I was like I don't know if you've been to Ireland, but I know you travel the world Also with the Africa and the continent example.
[37:40] Amber Ivey: So those two you could have just changed the place to trick me.
[37:44] Amber Ivey: So I'm going to say I'm going to say the inaugural ball is the one.
[37:50] Amber Ivey: Is which that's the dream.
[37:53] Diya Wynn: No.
[37:54] Amber Ivey: Inaugurable is the dream.
[37:55] Diya Wynn: No, I did that Because that's amazing.
[37:58] Amber Ivey: I hope y'all got it right.
[37:59] Amber Ivey: Which one was the wrong one?
[38:01] Diya Wynn: Travel to Africa and teach computers and technology.
[38:04] Diya Wynn: That's my dream, one of my dreams.
[38:07] Amber Ivey: Got it.
[38:07] Amber Ivey: I thought you were trying to play with our minds by taking it a little bit slower so I can trick you.
[38:13] Amber Ivey: I did not figure that out and I also know you travel a lot of places, so I didn't know if that one was wrong or right that was good.
[38:20] Diya Wynn: Yeah, I did get to go last year.
[38:22] Diya Wynn: Last spring I got to teach in Ireland so it was pretty cool, but I'm still trying to get to Africa.
[38:29] Amber Ivey: Well, hopefully someone here hears you, and we actually have a presence on this podcast in South Africa, but it's just so random as some of the folks that are listening, which is also great, so I love it, but hopefully you get to Africa.
[38:40] Amber Ivey: The content in general, and thanks for playing that and I'm sad I got it wrong, but I too Didn't figure that one out.
[38:49] Amber Ivey: So, kids, I hope y'all got it right.
[38:50] Amber Ivey: We have a few more questions before we close out.
[38:53] Amber Ivey: So, before you go, do you have anything, any advice you want to share with kids who want to learn more about AI and how they can use technology more responsibly?
[39:02] Diya Wynn: You know, I think the biggest thing that I would say is try it.
[39:05] Diya Wynn: I hope that our students are not afraid of AI.
[39:08] Diya Wynn: As you mentioned, a lot of our students have been growing up with technology and been using it most of their lives, or if not all of their lives.
[39:16] Diya Wynn: I have nieces and nephews that started like as toddlers holding the phone, so I'm sure that most of your students are probably like that as well, so hopefully they're not fearful.
[39:26] Diya Wynn: But I would just encourage them to be curious, to continue to try explore, be open to new ideas, because I think that is what's going to help create the world of opportunity ahead of them, and I think one of the best sources that I've mentioned, I believe, is Codeorg.
[39:44] Diya Wynn: They do some really cool things, have some, you know, like little learning paths, et cetera, that folks can engage just in terms of like getting started, even if they don't want to explore some of the other options or do searching on their own.
[39:56] Diya Wynn: There's quite a bit there, so I just hope that they all would be like really interested, eager.
[40:02] Diya Wynn: I really hope that this inspires some folks to want to study and and go into technology as well, because we need more people to be in those rooms.
[40:12] Diya Wynn: We need their voice and, oh, I guess the only other thing I could say is, if somebody wanted to connect with me, they can feel free to reach out to me directly on LinkedIn and I'd be happy to respond and answer any questions or help if I can.
[40:26] Amber Ivey: And we will definitely drop that information in the show notes so y'all don't have to worry about going and finding that.
[40:31] Amber Ivey: Thank you so much for joining us today.
[40:33] Amber Ivey: I really appreciated the time talking to you, and thank you to all our listeners for tuning in.
[40:38] Amber Ivey: Don't forget to subscribe to AI for Kids and stay curious.
[40:42] Amber Ivey: Bye everyone, Thanks.
[40:44] Amber Ivey: Thanks for having me no problem.
[40:46] Amber Ivey: Thank you for joining us as we explore the fascinating world of artificial intelligence.
[40:51] Amber Ivey: Don't keep this adventure to yourself.
[40:53] Amber Ivey: Download it, share it with your friends and let everyone else in on the fun.
[40:57] Amber Ivey: Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.
[41:00] Amber Ivey: See you next time on AI for Kids.

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