Worried about how your child uses AI? Dubai launches new platform for parents

Dubai: As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a familiar part of children's lives, parents may have questions about how their children use the technology, what they need to know about it, and how they can help them make the most of its benefits.

A new platform launched in Dubai aims to help answer those questions. Called GenDubAI, the digital platform has been developed by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI), in collaboration with the Community Development Authority (CDA) and Dubai Future Foundation. It has been designed to help parents understand how children use AI and guide them towards using the technology safely, responsibly, and creatively.

The platform has been eyed at families with children aged eight to 15 and is available in Arabic and English. Its mobile-friendly format allows families to access interactive educational content and guidance as part of their everyday lives.

GenDubAI has been created to help parents and children learn about AI together, rather than leaving children to explore the technology without guidance.

The platform provides practical, easy-to-use content that addresses key questions about AI and explains how children can use these tools effectively. It introduces parents to the fundamentals, principles, and tools of AI, helping them better understand both its opportunities and its challenges.

For parents who are still getting familiar with AI themselves, the platform offers a chance to build their knowledge while supporting their children's learning and development.

The initiative also encourages critical thinking and creativity, helping children explore the technology constructively.

As children encounter AI tools, understanding how to use them responsibly has been an important part of preparing them for a technology-driven future.

GenDubAI aims to help families navigate this changing landscape by pushing for awareness, protecting privacy, and promoting responsible engagement with AI.

The platform reflects the UAE values and cultural identity, ensuring that its educational content is relevant to local families.

According to Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, director general of the CDA in Dubai, AI has become an integral part of younger generations' lives, placing responsibility on families and society to raise awareness and help children engage with the technology confidently and responsibly.

“In Dubai, we believe that preparing for the future begins with people, and that empowering future generations with the tools of tomorrow must go hand in hand with awareness, values, and responsibility,” said Buhumaid.

She has noted that GenDubAI puts families at the centre of the AI learning journey, turning technology into a shared opportunity for learning, dialogue, and creativity within the home.

Buhumaid added, “This initiative reflects Dubai’s commitment to preparing future-ready generations, in line with the Dubai Social Agenda 33, by empowering young people to embrace technology with confidence and responsibility while preserving their values and identity. Dubai’s leadership in AI is measured not only by technological advancements, but by their positive impact on individuals and families, and their ability to inspire future generations to learn, innovate, and shape their own future.”

On the other hand, Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, has bared that the UAE is among the world's leading countries in AI adoption, alongside growing use of smart devices by children both inside and outside schools.

“Through this initiative, we aim to help parents confidently guide their children in benefiting from the opportunities offered by AI while also understanding its challenges. Knowledge of safe and responsible AI use is one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children to help them thrive in the age of artificial intelligence,” stated Belhoul.

Saeed Al Falasi, executive director of the DCAI, has highlighted that GenDubAI will help children benefit from AI under their parents' direct guidance, while allowing families to follow their progress more easily.

He has described it as a “first-of-its-kind platform” built around the concept of “family moments,” with content that fit into everyday life and promotes meaningful conversations about AI at home.

“GenDubAI reflects local values and cultural identity while supporting children’s learning, creativity and intellectual development,” shared Al Falasi.

Meanwhile, the initiative supports the objectives of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 and the UAE's Year of the Family, linking AI education with wider efforts to strengthen family engagement and support children's development.

It showcases Dubai's ambition to prepare future generations for a technology-driven world while ensuring that technological progress is accompanied by awareness, responsibility, and respect for local values.

GenDubAI has been intended to evolve over time, with new content, tools, and educational pathways planned to keep pace with advances in AI and the changing needs of families.