There are few issues moving faster—or creating more questions for parents—than artificial intelligence. For that reason, I was so ready to sit down for this episode of Truth Be Told with Joel Thayer, Senior Fellow for AI and Emerging Technology Policy at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI). Joel has an incredible ability to take something that can feel complicated and overwhelming and bring it back to what matters most: our children, our families, our faith, and our future. AI is here, it is advancing every single day, and the question isn’t whether we embrace innovation or protect our families. We absolutely can do both!

As a mom, this conversation really hit home for me. Joel walked us through some of the very real dangers families are facing online, from deepfakes and sextortion to the ways technology can be used to exploit our children. We talked about how difficult it has become for parents to protect their kids in a world where technology follows them everywhere—even into the classroom.

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation was Joel’s reminder that the right to parent is fundamental. Parents are the protectors and advocates of their children, and no corporation should have greater access or authority over a child than his or her own mother and father. That led us into a conversation I absolutely loved about faith, family, freedom, and the principles at the heart of our constitutional republic. Our rights don’t come from government—they come from God—and government has a responsibility to respect and protect that sacred bond between parents and their children.

But this episode isn’t about being afraid of technology! It stood out to me how optimistic Joel is about what AI can do when we get it right. It has the potential to fuel American innovation, advance medicine, make our lives more efficient, and help America continue leading the world. I loved the way Joel framed that idea: efficiency itself isn’t the ultimate goal. The goal of any technology advancement should be to make our lives better so that we have more time for the people we love! That is such an important way to think about innovation.

We also talked about something every parent needs to understand: AI companions. Our children are growing up in a world where technology isn’t simply answering questions or providing entertainment—it can actually present itself as a friend or confidant. That means parents need to understand what their children are interacting with, ask questions, stay engaged, and demand safeguards that put children first.

And of course, America has to lead! We are in a global race for AI dominance, particularly with China, and Joel makes such an important point: we should absolutely want America to win, but our children cannot become casualties in the race to get there.

What I loved most about this conversation is that Joel doesn’t approach AI from a place of fear. He approaches it from a place of purpose. What are we trying to build? Who should it serve? What values are we unwilling to sacrifice along the way? Those are questions every parent, policymaker, innovator, and American should be asking right now.

The future of AI will not be decided by technology alone. It will be shaped by the values we choose to defend. If we keep faith, family, freedom, and human dignity at the center, I believe America can lead this next generation of innovation without losing sight of what we’re leading for. Our children are worth protecting, our families are worth fighting for, and the future is ours to shape!

Thank you for watching!
OXO,
Stacey