Use AI to Be More Kind Online

The big idea

AI gives you new tools to be kind online. Help write a thoughtful comment on a friend's post. Draft a kind message to a struggling friend. Generate gift ideas. Use AI to amplify kindness.

Some examples

• Write a sincere supportive comment on someone's project.
• Draft a kind apology when you mess up.
• Generate thoughtful gift ideas for friends.
• Help a friend feel less alone with a kind message.

Try it!

Use AI to help you say one kind thing to someone today. Notice how it changes their day.

AI and Being a Good Online Friend

The big idea

AI can help you talk online, but kindness is your job. Being a good friend online is just like being a good friend in real life.

Some examples

• Don't use AI to write mean messages.
• Don't AI-edit a friend's photo to make them look silly.
• Use AI to write a kind note to a friend.
• Always tell a grown-up if someone is being mean.

Try it!

Ask an AI helper to help you write a kind note to a friend who had a tough week.

Kindness Is Your Job — Not AI's

AI tools can help you write messages, come up with ideas, or find the right words when you're not sure what to say. But kindness isn't something AI can do for you — it's something you decide. Being a good friend online means the same things it means in person: being honest, not saying things you wouldn't say face to face, not leaving people out on purpose, and standing up when someone is being hurt. One important rule: don't use AI to make mean or hurtful content about someone. Just because AI makes it easy to edit a photo or write an angry message doesn't mean you should. If something would hurt someone in real life, it hurts them online too. And if someone is being mean to you or others online, tell a trusted adult — that's never something you need to handle by yourself.

• Type only what you'd say to someone's face — the online world has real feelings in it
• Never use AI to write mean messages or edit photos to make someone look silly
• AI can help you find kind words — use that power for good
• Tell a trusted adult if someone is being mean to you or others online

AI and Not Using AI to Say Mean Things

The big idea

AI can help you write fast. But fast mean words still hurt. Don't use AI to write anything mean about another person.

Some examples

• Don't ask AI for a mean nickname for someone.
• Don't use AI to make fun of a classmate.
• Don't have AI write a fake mean message.
• Don't make a fake AI voice of someone to trick them.

Try it!

Ask AI to write a kind note to someone you appreciate. Send it!

Mean words hurt — even when AI types them

Here's a question: if you told a robot to throw a ball at someone, would you be responsible? Of course — you gave the order. It's the same with AI and mean words. When you ask AI to write something mean about a classmate — a nickname, a roast, a fake story — and then you send it, those words are yours. It doesn't matter that you didn't type every letter yourself. You chose the target, you sent the message, and you caused the hurt. That's cyberbullying. And here's what makes it worse: AI can write mean things really fast and really convincingly — much more detailed and hurtful than most people would come up with on their own. So using AI to write mean content doesn't just let you off the hook, it actually makes the potential damage bigger. Kindness is always the stronger choice — and AI can help with that too. Try asking it to write something encouraging to a friend instead.

• Someone dares you to ask AI to write a mean nickname for a classmate — say no.
• Even if you think a 'roast' is funny, ask yourself: would the person agree?
• Using AI to write fake mean messages about someone is cyberbullying.
• Instead, try asking AI to help you write a kind note, a thank-you, or a compliment.

AI and being kind when you talk to chatbots

The big idea

Even though AI is a program, practicing kind words helps you stay kind to people.

Some examples

• Say please when asking AI to help
• Don't yell mean things at a chatbot
• Practice good manners even with machines
• How you talk becomes a habit

Try it!

Next time you use a chatbot, start with 'please' and end with 'thanks.' See how it feels.

Practicing Kindness — Even With a Robot

AI chatbots do not have feelings. They cannot be hurt by rude words. But here is something worth thinking about: the way you practice talking matters. When you practice being rude to a chatbot, you are rehearsing rudeness. Habits form through repetition. If you get used to demanding, harsh, or unkind language in any conversation, that habit can sneak into how you talk to real people too.

• Ask questions politely, as if talking to a helpful person.
• Avoid using rude, demanding, or harsh language even when frustrated.
• If an AI makes a mistake, calmly explain what went wrong instead of 'yelling' at it.
• Notice how you feel when you are rude versus kind — kind usually feels better.
• Remember that the habits you build in private conversations show up in public ones.

Being kind to chatbots is not really about the chatbot. It is about who you want to be. Every conversation — even with a machine — is an opportunity to practice the habits that make you a better friend, student, and person.