✨ This Week’s MindSpark: What Are AI Ads Really Saying? ✨

This week’s activity helps teens look more closely at how companies talk about artificial intelligence in advertising. By watching a few Super Bowl ads together, you will explore how AI is being presented in our culture and what those messages may mean for school, work, and everyday decisions.

How It Works

Step 1: Watch & Compare

Watch at least two AI-focused Super Bowl ads.
As you watch, notice the role AI plays: helper, creator, or emotional connector.

Watch together (choose any two):

💠 Anthropic (Claude)
Watch: How can I communicate better with my mom?
A satirical ad warning about ads appearing inside AI conversations. It raises questions about trust, values, and who AI ultimately serves.

💠 Google Gemini
Watch: New Home | Google Gemini
Positions AI as a supportive assistant for everyday thinking and problem-solving.

💠 Amazon Alexa+
Watch: Chris Hemsworth thinks Alexa+ is scary good
Uses humor to show AI as embedded in daily life and decision-making.

💠 Ring
Watch: Search Party from Ring | Be A Hero In Your Neighborhood
A heart-driven ad that centers on connection, safety, and reassurance. AI fades into the background while human emotion takes the lead.

As you watch, ask:
What feeling is the ad trying to create?

Step 2: Spot the Signal

For each ad, discuss:

• What role is AI playing in this story?
  

• What emotion is the ad trying to create?
  

• What does the ad want people to trust AI with?
  

Then ask:
What is being emphasized most: thinking, convenience, creativity, connection, or something else?

Step 3: Think One Layer Deeper

Talk together:

• Which ad felt the most trustworthy, and why?
  

• Where was AI clearly visible, and where was it intentionally less visible?
  

• If AI becomes part of how we learn, create, and make decisions, what responsibilities still belong to people?
  

There are no right answers. The goal is awareness and thoughtful conversation.

Step 4: The Student–Parent Bridge

A. Middle or High School Student
 Complete this sentence:
“AI is becoming part of school and everyday life. I want AI to support me with __________, and I want to make sure I still do the thinking for __________.”

Parent follow-up:
Which parts of learning should become easier with AI, and which parts should remain challenging because that is where real growth happens?

B. College Student
 Complete this sentence:
“If employers expect AI to be part of everyday work, the skill I want to be known for is __________, not just my ability to use AI tools.”

Parent follow-up:
How will you show others how you think, not just what you produce?

Step 5: One-Sentence Reflection

Finish this sentence:

“After watching these ads, I want to be more intentional about how I use AI for __________.”

Sharing is optional. Thinking is the goal.

Parent Tip

Focus on helping teens notice how AI is being framed, not whether they give the “right” answers. Conversations like this help teens build judgment, awareness, and confidence as AI becomes part of daily life.

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A Little Something Extra for You ❤️

The Live Connection 🎙️ 

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