Behind the chat: A human guide to safe AI conversations

Access to technology—including AI—is essential for young people’s full participation in education, society, and the future workforce. As AI becomes more embedded in everyday life, we acknowledge concerns about how young people are engaging with these tools—particularly around privacy and emotional use.

Supporting healthy engagement with AI isn’t separate from digital skills—it’s foundational to it.

Microsoft is committed to supporting equitable access to AI and delivering high-quality AI skilling resources. This includes helping young people develop the judgement, critical thinking, and boundaries needed to use AI safely, responsibly, and confidently in real-world contexts.

Gif showing the three Behind the Chat resource options.

Explore the resources: How to use them

These resources are intended for learners aged 13+.

A different approach: Immersive storytelling

These resources use immersive storytelling to follow three relatable characters and real-world situations. They’re designed to help young people explore concepts like emotional attachment, overreliance on AI, privacy oversharing and the importance of critical thinking when engaging with AI.

Each case study includes key learning moments that encourage readers to pause and reflect on how AI design shapes the way we interact with these tools. The main resource deck can be used by a young person for self-paced learning, or in a classroom setting with an educator-led format.

Guides for trusted adults

Guides are available for educators and for parents and caregivers.

For educators

Each of the three case studies takes approximately 10–15 minutes to complete on its own. Use them in any of these ways:

  • As a class—walked through together on a shared screen, with the teacher pausing at key moments to discuss
  • As independent study—assigned to students to complete at their own pace, followed by a class discussion or written reflection
  • As group learning—small groups work through one case study together, then present their findings to the class

This guide includes a 30-minute lesson extension for each case study, designed to deepen learning beyond the case studies. Lessons can be delivered standalone or sequenced across three sessions.

For parents and caregivers

You’re not alone if your teen is using AI for school work, advice, or conversation in ways that feel hard to decode. This toolkit uses three short, interactive stories to help you start practical, low-pressure conversations about AI’s benefits, risks, and boundaries.

Why we chose this resource format

This approach was led by feedback from young people, who consistently told us they prefer:

  • Scenario-based, story-led learning over traditional lectures
  • Clear explanations that unpack how AI works and where risks arise

The immersive storytelling approach:

  • Builds understanding through context: Users explore realistic situations involving AI, helping them understand both benefits and risks in practice.
  • Creates a safe space to learn: The use of fictional characters provides a protective distance, allowing young people to engage with sensitive topics—such as privacy, dependency, and emotional boundaries—without needing to share personal experiences.
  • Supports real conversations: For educators and parents, these scenarios act as a neutral entry point to start discussions, making complex or sensitive issues easier to explore in a classroom or at home.

Built with young people: How these resources were designed

To ensure these resources reflect real experiences, Microsoft partnered with Cyberlite to run youth co-design workshops with 131 students aged 12–18 across India and Singapore.

These workshops were designed as interactive sessions and used:

  • Live polling and ranking exercises
  • Scenario-based discussions
  • Open-ended prompts grounded in relatable situations

What we heard challenged common assumptions:

  • Young people primarily see AI as a productivity tool, not an emotional support system
  • They’re already thinking critically about risks, including privacy, overreliance, and manipulation
  • Many identified loss of critical thinking as a key future concern
  • They want clear, evidence-based explanations, not high-level awareness campaigns

These insights directly shaped the content, tone, and format of the resources—ensuring they’re grounded in how young people actually use and understand AI today.

For youth, by youth: Input from young people that shaped these resources

See more insights in our full workshop report and video:

What teens say about AI companionship report

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