How AI is reshaping how parents think about their kids' futures

How AI is reshaping how parents think about their kids' futures

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries and redefines what it means to have a stable, successful career, American parents are paying close attention, and many are changing course.

According to a new study conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Intuit Credit Karma, among 921 U.S. adults ages 18 and older who are parents of kids in K-11 (referred to as "parents" throughout), more than two-thirds (69%) say that thinking about their child's future career feels more stressful than it used to be because of AI. And a majority (86%) feel parents today need a different playbook to prepare their children for the future.

Key takeaways:

• 86% of parents agree that parents today need a different playbook to prepare their children for the future, as AI reshapes what it means to have a stable, successful career.
• 76% worry that by the time their child enters the workforce, the rules for success will have changed, specifically the education, skills and experience traditionally needed to secure a stable, good-paying job.
• 89% have already made changes to how they are preparing their child for the future as a result of AI, spanning academics, extracurriculars, career exploration and financial independence.
• 78% of parents are making changes to their own financial planning due to concerns about AI's impact on their child's future, including teaching their child financial independence earlier than planned.
• 75% believe AI will open up career opportunities for their child's generation that don't even exist yet, suggesting that, despite the worry, many parents are cautiously hopeful about what AI could mean for their child's future.

Why parents are worried about AI and job security

When it comes to their kids’ future careers, what parents want above all else is stability. Half of parents (50%) say job stability and security are among the most important factors when thinking about their children’s future careers. That is likely what’s making AI a source of concern for many parents.

Nearly all parents (97%) say they have heard at least something about AI’s impact on jobs, and it’s more than just background noise. In fact, 8 in 10 (81%) say AI has changed how they think about their children’s future careers.

The more parents tune in, the more unsettled they become. More than three-quarters of parents (76%) worry that by the time their children enter the workforce, the rules for success—the education, skills, and experience traditionally needed to secure a stable, good-paying job—will have changed.

It also has them questioning the status quo. More than three-quarters of parents (78%) say AI makes them question whether traditional "good jobs" are still as secure as they once seemed, with 68% worrying that some of today’s most prestigious careers (e.g., lawyer, engineer) may become less secure over time.

It’s not just the job market that parents are worried about. Roughly 8 in 10 (79%) say AI is changing faster than schools can keep up, raising doubts about how well kids are being prepared for the future of work.

Parents are taking action

Despite the concern, most parents aren’t standing still. Nearly 9 in 10 parents (89%) have already made changes to how they are preparing their child for the future as a result of AI, spanning academics and skill-building, and financial independence.

• Rethinking the academic path: Roughly 4 in 10 (41%) are encouraging their children to explore different subjects in school, such as STEM, robotics, and math. Meanwhile, 24% say they are adjusting their expectations about their children attending a four-year college. This suggests the traditional four-year college path is no longer the expected route for certain families.
• Building skills that stand the test of time: Parents are doubling down on skills they believe will remain valuable regardless of how AI evolves. More than a third (37%) are encouraging exploration of different extracurricular activities such as debate, trade programs and AI camps. They are also placing greater emphasis on soft skills like communication and adaptability (35%), encouraging exploration of skilled trades or vocational paths such as electricians and HVAC technicians (35%), and exposing their children to a wider variety of career options through things like job shadowing and informational interviews (35%).
• Betting on independence: For a generation that may face a less predictable job market, parents are laying the financial and entrepreneurial groundwork. More than a third (37%) say they are focusing more on teaching their child financial literacy and independence, such as budgeting and investing, and 34% are encouraging their child to explore entrepreneurship or self-employment, such as starting a small business or learning "business basics."
• Raising AI-fluent kids: Some parents are meeting AI head on. More than a quarter (28%) are having their kids focus more on AI literacy by actively teaching them how to use and understand AI tools.

Top skills parents believe will matter in an AI-driven future

The changes parents are making tell a consistent story about what they think will actually count in an AI-driven world. When asked which skills will matter most for their children’s future, parents’ answers looked a lot like the changes they’re already making:

• Critical thinking/problem solving — 43%
• Adaptability (e.g., willingness to keep learning new skills) — 35%
• Financial literacy/money management — 28%
• Communication — 28%
• Technical/AI skills (e.g., knowing how to implement AI tools) — 26%
• Leadership — 25%
• Hands-on/trade skills (e.g., fixing, making things) — 24%

While AI skills made the cut, parents seem to believe that the most durable skills are still deeply human.

AI concerns meet financial planning

The potential implications of AI are driving household financial decisions. Nearly 8 in 10 parents (78%) say they are making changes to their own financial planning due to concerns about AI's impact on their children’s future:

• 42% say they are thinking more about teaching their children financial independence earlier than they had planned.
• 41% are thinking more seriously about building generational wealth to provide their children with a financial cushion.
• 34% are saving more overall to give their children a financial cushion.

For parents who are reconsidering the four-year college path, the financial implications may already be showing up in how they save. More than a quarter (27%) say they are rethinking how much they need to save for their children’s education overall as a result of concerns about AI’s impact on their children’s future, and 15% have already reduced how much they are saving for college, saying they are less certain it will be worth the cost.

Not every parent is moving at the same pace, and for some, that’s an intentional choice. Among the 77% of parents who say something is preventing them from making all the financial changes they want to make due to concerns about AI’s impact on their children’s future, the most common barrier is the conscious decision to wait. More than one-third (38%) say they are holding off until their child is a bit older to see where things stand with AI and the job market. And 21% say they aren't entirely confident AI will change things enough to warrant action right now.

For others, the hesitation is less about choice and more about circumstance. A quarter (25%) of parents say they have other obligations that are taking priority, 17% say they cannot afford to make the changes they want to make, and 15% don’t know where to start.

Parents see the opportunity, not just the threat

Still, worry hasn’t eclipsed hope. Three-quarters (75%) believe AI will open up career opportunities for their children’s generation that don't even exist yet, while 67% say it will lower the barriers to starting a business, making entrepreneurship more accessible, and 63% believe it will make their children’s generation more productive in the workplace than generations before them.

Parents aren't just worried about AI; they're actively adapting, prioritizing flexibility, financial literacy, and resilience over traditional career paths.

"AI is shifting how parents think about their children's futures, and while many are feeling the pressure, they’re not standing by,” said Courtney Alev, consumer financial advocate at Intuit Credit Karma. “Parents are rethinking everything from the subjects their kids study to the extracurriculars they encourage, but what stands out to me is how much they’re rethinking their approach to finances. They’re starting money conversations with their kids earlier, thinking seriously about generational wealth, and teaching their kids how to be financially independent. In a world being reshaped by AI, the ability to understand and manage finances may be one of the most future-proof skills you can give your children.”

Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Credit Karma from April 3-10, 2026, among 921 U.S. adults ages 18 and older who are parents of kids in K-11. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 4.6 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

This story was produced by Intuit Credit Karma and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.