From Screen Time to Family Time
February 16, 2026
Your almost daily guide to navigating AI as a family.
Hey friends,
This weekend, I was trying to explain the latest AI news to my parents, and I’ll be honest, it felt a bit like trying to describe a new color. The pace of change is just so fast right now, it can feel overwhelming to keep up. One minute you’re reading about a viral post, the next you’re hearing that the price of your next phone might go up because of an AI-driven chip shortage. It’s a lot.
It reminded me that for all the talk about superintelligence and job automation, this stuff is already having real-world effects on our families and our wallets. My goal with this newsletter isn’t to add to the noise, but to cut through it and give you the practical, down-to-earth perspective you need. We’re in this together.
The Viral AI Essay That Has Everyone Talking
The Story: You might have seen an essay titled “Something Big Is Coming” making the rounds. Written by AI founder Matt Shumer, it has exploded online, reaching over 73 million views. Shumer compares this moment to the early days of the COVID pandemic—a massive, society-shifting event that most people aren’t paying attention to yet. He warns that what’s happening to tech jobs today is a preview for all other white-collar professions.
What This Means for You: The reason this essay went viral is because it’s not for “nerds.” Shumer wrote it for his parents, in plain English. It’s a powerful reminder that we need to be having these conversations in our own families. The changes are coming, and being prepared starts with understanding what’s happening, without the technical jargon.
Try This Week: Find one article about AI this week and read it with your partner or a friend. Talk about how it makes you feel—excited, nervous, confused? Just starting the conversation is a huge first step.
Source: New York Magazine
Your Next Smartphone Might Be More Expensive Because of AI
The Story: It’s not just software. The AI boom is causing a global shortage of high-powered memory chips (DRAM). Tech leaders like Apple’s Tim Cook and Tesla’s Elon Musk are warning that this will impact everything from laptops and smartphones to cars. The demand for AI is so high that it’s creating a bottleneck in the physical supply chain, and prices are expected to rise throughout 2026.
What This Means for You: This is where the AI hype meets the household budget. If you were planning on upgrading your phone or laptop this year, you might see higher price tags. It’s a tangible example of how this technological gold rush affects all of us, not just people in Silicon Valley.
Try This Week: Take a look at your family’s devices. Could they last another year? Sometimes the most practical step is to appreciate and maintain what you already have, saving money and reducing e-waste in the process.
Source: Bloomberg
Microsoft AI Chief: White-Collar Jobs Will Be Automated in 18 Months
The Story: Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, made a bold prediction: within 18 months, AI will be able to perform “most, if not all professional tasks” at a human level. He’s talking about jobs in accounting, law, marketing, and project management. While some studies show AI can currently make workers less productive, the pace of improvement is what has leaders like Suleyman sounding the alarm.
What This Means for You: This isn’t a reason to panic, but it is a reason to prepare. The nature of work is changing. For our kids, this means their career paths will look very different from ours. For us, it means that continuous learning isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a necessity. The jobs of the future will be about working with AI, not competing against it.
Try This Week: Explore one free AI tool related to your profession. It could be a marketing copy generator, a code assistant, or a data analysis tool. You don’t have to become an expert overnight. Just get a feel for what these tools can do.
Source: Fortune
How to Talk to Your Kids About AI (Without Being an Expert)
The Story: A fantastic interview with a Harvard AI professor on Forbes offers practical advice for parents. The key takeaway? You don’t have to be an expert. In fact, it’s better to approach AI as “co-learners” with your kids. Start with familiar examples like a robot vacuum or a smart speaker, and explore new tools together. The goal is to build curiosity and critical thinking, not to have all the answers.
What This Means for You: This takes so much pressure off our shoulders. We don’t need to have a PhD in computer science to guide our kids. We just need to be present and willing to learn alongside them. It’s also crucial to talk about privacy—what’s safe to share with an AI and what’s not.
Try This Week: Ask your kids what they know or have heard about AI. You might be surprised! Use their answers as a starting point for a conversation, not a lecture. Frame it as a family adventure into a new and exciting world.
Source: Forbes
Family AI Activity
This week, let’s create a custom family coloring book! We’ll use a free AI image generator to bring our ideas to life.
- Brainstorm: As a family, come up with a fun theme. It could be “Our Family as Superheroes,” “Our Pets on a Space Adventure,” or “A Magical Garden in Our Backyard.”
- Generate: Go to a free AI image generator like Microsoft Designer (Image Creator) or Adobe Firefly.
- Write a Prompt: This is the fun part. Be descriptive! Instead of “a superhero,” try: “A coloring book page of a family of four superheroes, flying over a city, with a dad who has a cape, a mom with laser eyes, a daughter who can talk to animals, and a son who can run super fast, simple lines, black and white.”
- Create & Print: Generate a few images, pick your favorites, and print them out. You’ve just created a one-of-a-kind family activity using AI!
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This summit is so much more than a series of talks; it's a vibrant community of driven individuals dedicated to growth and making a real impact. You'll leave with a notebook full of actionable tactics, a network of powerful allies, and the fire to make 2026 your most successful year ever. Early bird tickets are available now, and I'd love to see you there. Let's build our empires together!
---Join the Community
Looking for a place to connect with other parents who are navigating the world of AI? Join our free Facebook group, AI-Powered Super Parents.
Pick just one thing from this newsletter to try this week. Don't get overwhelmed. The goal is small, consistent steps.
Talk soon,
The AI Dad - Warren Schuitema
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