Why AI Ethics Must Start with Our Kids

In my latest episode of My EdTech Life, I had the honor of chatting with Amber Ivey. She is the founder of AI DigiTales and host of the  AI for Kids podcast, and she is doing incredible work to help young learners understand AI and ethics in a fun, accessible way.

Amber’s journey into AI education started in data analytics, where she helped government agencies use data to drive smarter decisions. That experience taught her something essential: how to break down complex concepts so that anyone, regardless of background, can understand and take action. As she told me during the interview, “Very early on in my government career, I learned how to take complex concepts… and explain it to someone, no matter their background, in a way that they got immediately and could make a decision off of that.”

When ChatGPT hit the scene in late 2022, Amber saw a lot of fear-based reactions from adults. Instead of joining the panic, she shifted her focus to the kids who are already growing up in an AI-integrated world. As she pointed out, most kids today experience the internet for the first time through AI tools like Alexa or Siri. That moment of clarity sparked her mission to prepare this "AI-first generation" to navigate the future with understanding, confidence, and care.

What I appreciate about  Amber’s approach is that it is built on accessibility and equity. AI DigiTales and the  AI for Kids podcast are not just for kids with access to high-end tech. They are designed for every child, no matter their background. She explains it simply: “A lot of the things we talk about, you're not doing with a computer. You're doing with pieces of paper, with your friends nearby. You're using what you have to understand the concept.” That kind of intentional design ensures AI literacy reaches all learners.

Amber’s AI for Kids podcast is structured around the ABCs of AI. Each episode takes a big idea, like algorithms or neural networks, and breaks it down into a story kids can follow. She adds music and sound effects to keep the younger listeners engaged. As a listener myself, I can say her episodes are not only informative but also truly entertaining and thoughtful.

What stands out most is Amber’s strong commitment to ethics. She makes it clear in every episode that we need to talk about both the benefits and risks of AI. “I don't want to be responsible as someone who's helping kids understand AI and not leave that up front every single time,” she told me. She is raising a generation of kids who will not just use AI. They will create it. And she is helping them understand the responsibility they carry to build inclusive and fair tools that serve everyone.

This conversation left me hopeful. At a time when many voices in the AI space are shouting about speed and disruption, Amber reminds us that education, ethics, and equity matter. She shows what it looks like to educate with care, innovate with purpose, and center the people who will live with the technologies we are building today.

If you care about the future of learning and want to hear a fresh perspective on AI, this is an episode you will not want to miss.

🎧 Listen now: https://www.myedtech.life/ivey

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