Dubai launches GenDubAI platform to guide parents on children’s AI use

Overview

Dubai has launched a free online platform called GenDubAI to help parents manage their children’s use of artificial intelligence. The platform went live on Wednesday, 14 October 2026 at 12:30 PM and was introduced by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) in partnership with the Community Development Authority (CDA) and Dubai Future Foundation.

Aimed at families with children aged 8 to 15, the bilingual Arabic‑English service is optimised for mobile devices and provides practical guidance on using AI safely and responsibly.

Instead of merely explaining how AI works, the platform focuses on everyday situations parents may encounter, such as children relying on AI for homework, seeking personal advice from chatbots, or creating and sharing fake images of real people.

The initiative responds to growing concerns about the gap between children’s increasing engagement with AI and parents’ understanding of the technology.

Guidance on Key Situations

The platform covers six specific scenarios that families may face when children use AI: AI and homework; seeking personal advice from AI; creating with AI; over‑reliance on AI; fake images; and conflicting values.

For each scenario it offers step‑by‑step advice, including what parents can say, what they need to know, how the approach might change with the child’s age, and suggested family activities to try together.

One scenario deals with children who turn to AI chatbots to discuss personal matters. The platform notes that chatbots can feel like trusted companions because they respond to feelings and ask follow‑up questions. It suggests a conversation starter: “I’ve been reading about kids talking to AI about personal stuff. Has that ever happened to you?” If a child says the AI understands them better, the guide advises parents not to argue immediately but to ask what makes the interaction helpful and explore ways to make home conversations easier. It also stresses respecting the child’s privacy while keeping communication open, especially when the child is reluctant to reveal what they have discussed with a chatbot.

Another scenario addresses AI‑generated fake images of real people. Parents are first encouraged to determine whether the child created the image, received it from someone else, shared it, or simply encountered it online. The response should be calm and free of assumptions. If the child created the image, the guide recommends discussing whether the person depicted would be comfortable with it. If the image has been shared, families are advised to work together to remove or report it on the relevant platforms. The platform distinguishes between a child creating or circulating such an image and a child becoming the subject of one. In cases where a child is depicted without consent, parents are told not to circulate the image further and to seek appropriate safeguarding support. Images that are sexual, threatening, hateful or humiliating are treated as safety concerns requiring particular care. The guide also provides suggested responses when children dismiss such images as jokes or insist they have done nothing wrong.

Access and Official Comments

To use GenDubAI, parents can choose one of three pathways based on their immediate needs: “My child is using AI” offers guidance on homework, creativity, personal conversations and family values; “I want to feel more ready” provides information on AI fundamentals, safety, age considerations, privacy and potential risks; “I want to build good AI habits together” contains short family activities designed to encourage discussions and shared decisions about AI use.

The platform brings together international AI guidance and research conducted with UAE families. It has been released as a pilot, with future versions expected to incorporate feedback from parents and to add further content, tools and educational resources.

Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, said the platform places families at the centre of children’s AI learning.

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said increasing AI adoption and the growing use of smart devices among children made parental awareness particularly important. “Knowledge of safe and responsible AI use is one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children to help them thrive in the age of artificial intelligence.”

Saeed Al Falasi, Executive Director of the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, said the platform was designed around the concept of “family moments”, encouraging parents and children to discuss AI as part of everyday life.