The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Contemporary Indian Parenting Practices: A Review of Tools and Trends

Contemporary parents in India are increasingly making attempts to integrate technology in their everyday practices, which is evident in their usage of digital tools, apps, and online resources in the matters of childcare, education, and emotional support. The present paper explores the role and usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in reshaping contemporary Indian parenting. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using scholarly databases to identify articles relevant to the present study. Some of the primary types of AI tools used for parenting identified were: (1) chatbots and conversational agents designed to assist parents; (2) educational platforms that adapt to child’s learning needs; (3) applications for monitoring child health and development; (4) tools for parental control and ensuring digital safety; and (5) communication tools for families powered by AI. The themes identified can be divided into two distinct domains. On the positive side, the benefits of AI-assisted parenting encompass personalized guidance that enhances parenting efficiency, helping dual-working parents in navigating bilingual education, managing screen time, and addressing the challenges posed by nuclear family set-ups. On the downside, there are notable challenges, including privacy risks, an over-reliance that may result in a decline of spontaneous parent-child relationships, and westernized algorithmic prejudices that conflict with Indian cultural ideals and collectivist values. This is further emphasised by the cultural disconnects of metrics-based tools disregarding the traditional relational wisdom, while digital disparities widen the divide between the urban and rural. Although AI has immense potential to revolutionize parenting in the Indian context, it is important to incorporate algorithms which are culturally relevant and can be used by members of diverse socio-cultural and socio-economic groups. Future research therefore should focus on models which can be used by culturally diverse populations, including individuals belonging to different socioeconomic groups. The present paper thus recognises the potential of AI being an ally for India’s digital-urban shift, while being sensitive to joint families and the holistic approach to development.