How do you use AI chatbots safely?
To use AI chatbots safely, treat them as a helper, not an oracle. Don't type in private details, passwords, or other people's photos and chats, because what you enter may be stored. Check important facts and sources yourself, since chatbots can make things up. At school, follow your teacher's rules and be open about what you used AI for.
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Why it matters
AI chatbots explain, summarise and help you learn, but they get things wrong and may keep what you type. You learn to use them critically, protect your own and other people's data, and stay honest at school.
In 5 minutes you'll be able to
- AI can get things wrong. Check important facts yourself.
- No private data and no photos of other people in AI tools.
- Be honest about what you used AI for at school.
What you'll practise
What goes in the chat?
Sophie wants to use an AI chatbot. What can she safely type in?
- "Explain photosynthesis in simple words." → Okay
- A photo of the whole class to make "funny pictures" from it → Better not
- Her address and phone number for a job application → Better not
- "Give me tips on revising for my maths test." → Okay
- Her best friend's private chat, to "analyse" it → Better not
- "Check my own essay for spelling mistakes." → Okay
- Her password, so the AI can make a "more secure" one → Better not
AI check
How do you use AI smartly and fairly?
The AI gives Sophie a date and a source for her presentation. What now?
- Use it, the AI will know.
- Check it in a reliable source. (Answer)
Zain gets help from an AI with his coursework. What's fair?
- Copy the whole text and hand it in as his own
- Follow the teacher's rules and say what he used AI for (Answer)
What often happens to what you type into an AI chat?
- It disappears straight away.
- It can be stored and analysed. (Answer)
Your AI checklist
Sophie is about to use a chatbot for her presentation. Choose all the smart habits.
- Check dates, names and sources in a reliable place
- Use placeholders instead of her real name and address
- Ask the AI to explain a topic, then write in her own words
- Turn off chat history or training if the settings allow it
- Upload a friend's photo to make a funny edit
- Trust a quote because the AI says it's real
Remember
Don't tell an AI anything you wouldn't post publicly.
Key facts
- 54% of US teens say they have used AI chatbots to get help with schoolwork, and 57% have used them to search for information. · Source: Pew Research Center, How Teens Use and View AI, February 2026
- 59% of US teens think using AI to cheat is a regular occurrence at their school. · Source: Pew Research Center, How Teens Use and View AI, February 2026
- AI chatbots can "hallucinate": they sometimes state wrong facts or invent sources that look real, so anything important needs checking in a reliable source.
- Many AI services store your chats and may use them to improve their models. Settings often let you turn off chat history or training.
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Questions people ask
Is it safe to put personal information into AI chatbots?
It's best not to. What you type may be stored and reviewed, so leave out your address, phone number, passwords, and other people's photos or private messages.
Is using AI for homework cheating?
It depends on your teacher's rules. Copying AI text and handing it in as your own usually counts as cheating, while using AI to explain or check your work is often allowed if you say so.
Why does AI make things up?
Chatbots predict words that sound right rather than looking up facts, so they can produce confident answers and sources that don't exist. Always check important facts elsewhere.
What age can you use AI chatbots?
Many AI chatbots require users to be at least 13, and some need a parent's permission until 18. Check the age rules of the tool and your school's AI policy.
Related terms