A Parent's Guide to AI — B.C. Schools and at Home

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Contents

Section 1

Introduction

AI is rapidly becoming part of everyday life. It's already built into search engines,<br>social media, smartphones, online games, writing tools, photo editors, translation apps,<br>and educational software.

Many students meet AI through school-supported tools, such as the Vancouver School<br>Board's rollout of Microsoft Copilot 13+ for eligible secondary students. At the same<br>time, they may use public AI services at home through websites and apps.

This guide isn't here to tell families whether AI is "good" or "bad." It's here to help<br>you understand the technology, support your child's learning, recognize the risks, and<br>know where to find help. Like the internet, AI can be very useful — but used carelessly<br>it can spread misinformation, invade privacy, and create new forms of harm.

Keeping children safe with AI is a shared responsibility between schools, families,<br>technology companies, and communities.

Section 2

Understanding VSB's Copilot 13+

In May 2026, the Vancouver School Board announced the introduction of<br>Microsoft Copilot 13+ for eligible secondary students. The goal isn't to<br>replace teachers or independent thinking — it's to recognize that AI tools are becoming<br>part of higher education and the workplace, and that students benefit from learning to use<br>them responsibly.

According to the VSB, the educational version of Copilot includes protections that many<br>public AI tools don't. These may include:

School-managed accounts created and controlled by the district

Commercial data protection

Prompts and conversations not used to train public AI models

Encrypted data handling

Content filtering to reduce exposure to harmful material

Integration with existing digital-citizenship expectations

School-approved AI does not mean every AI tool online offers the same protections.<br>School AI tools are often managed learning environments, while public AI tools operate<br>under their own commercial terms and privacy policies. Review your district's AI guidance<br>and acceptable-use policies, and discuss them with your child.

Section 3

What is Artificial Intelligence?

AI refers to computer systems that perform tasks that traditionally required human<br>intelligence. Generative AI can create text, images, video, audio, computer code,<br>study materials, summaries, and music.

Tools your child may encounter include:

ChatGPT<br>Microsoft Copilot<br>Google Gemini<br>Claude<br>Perplexity<br>AI in search engines<br>AI image generators<br>AI study apps<br>AI writing assistants

A simple way to think about it

AI doesn't think or understand the world the way people do. One way to<br>picture it is like the autocomplete on your phone: it looks at many examples and predicts<br>what's likely to come next — combined with software that turns those predictions into<br>useful results. That makes AI extremely useful, but it can also be confidently<br>wrong . Spotting those mistakes is a key part of AI literacy.

Section 4

Why Are Schools Introducing AI?

Rather than pretending students will never use these tools, many educators believe<br>students should learn to use them safely and responsibly. Digital literacy increasingly<br>includes understanding AI's capabilities and limitations, evaluating AI-generated<br>information, protecting privacy, understanding bias, respecting intellectual property,<br>maintaining academic integrity, and being a responsible digital citizen.

The goal is not to replace learning with AI — it's to teach students to<br>use AI while continuing to think critically and independently.

A note on the ongoing debate

The introduction of AI in schools isn't universally welcomed, and reasonable people<br>disagree. When the VSB announced Copilot 13+, some students and parents raised concerns,<br>including privacy, the impact on independent thinking, environmental cost (water and<br>electricity), student safety, and broader social and economic impacts. There was also a<br>request for clearer policies and an opt-out option.

If you have concerns, you're not alone, and you're entitled to raise them.<br>Families who wish to limit or opt out of school-provided AI should contact their child's<br>school or district to ask what options are available. Different families may reach<br>different conclusions — and that's okay.

Section 5

School AI vs. AI at Home

At school

Many districts choose platforms with added privacy protections and supervision:

Organizational accounts

Data protection measures

Restricted age access

Content filtering

Teacher supervision

Acceptable-use policies

At home

Students often use AI without realizing it. Assume AI is already present in:

Phones and tablets, search engines

Snapchat and Instagram features

TikTok recommendation systems

Homework-helper apps, Discord bots

Photo & video editing apps

Translation tools, browser extensions

School-approved does not...