Lesson 527 of 1455
The 'What Would Future Me Think' AI Test
Before doing something with AI you are not sure about, ask: would 25-year-old me be proud of this? It catches a lot.
Builders · Ethics & Society · ~3 min read
The big idea
Internet stuff lasts. The dumb thing you do at 14 might still be findable at 25. Before doing anything questionable with AI, ask: would future me be okay with this?
Some examples
- Making a deepfake of a classmate: future you would NOT be okay with this.
- Building a portfolio of cool AI projects: future you = proud.
- Faking your own work with AI: future you = embarrassed and possibly in trouble.
- Helping a younger sibling learn AI safely: future you = proud.
Try it!
Key terms in this lesson
Practice this safely
Try this with a school, hobby, or family example where the stakes are low. Use the AI output as a draft you can question, not as the final answer.
- 1Ask AI to explain long view in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
- 2Give it one detail from "The 'What Would Future Me Think' AI Test" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
- 3Check future regret against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.
End-of-lesson quiz
Check what stuck
8 questions · Score saves to your progress.
Lesson help
Questions are best handled with a grown-up here.
For this age range, Tendril keeps freeform AI chat paused until parent/guardian consent and child-safe moderation are fully verified. Use the quiz, notes, and related lessons below, or ask a parent, guardian, teacher, or librarian to work through the question with you.
Progress saved locally in this browser. Sign in to sync across devices.
Related lessons
Keep going
Builders · 6 min
The 'Would This Help or Hurt' Test for AI Use
Before using AI for something tricky, ask: would this help or hurt the people involved? It is a simple test that catches a lot.
Builders · 7 min
AI, Authenticity, and Why Online Honesty Matters
AI lets you be anyone online — different name, different face, different voice. But the ethical question is: should you?
Builders · 7 min
Giving Credit When AI Helped You Make Something
Made art with AI? Wrote a song with AI help? The honest move is to say so. Here is how — without underselling your own creativity.