Artificial Intelligence in Family Life and Malaysian Parents’ Perceptions of Risks and Opportunities

Shafizan Mohamed, Nur Shakira Mohd Nasir, Mohd Helmi Yusoh

Abstract


Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly embedded in everyday digital environments, shaping how families access information, learn, and communicate. As children encounter AI-powered tools and generative technologies in educational and online contexts, parents play a critical role in guiding their engagement with these systems. This study examines Malaysian parents’ knowledge of artificial intelligence and their perceptions of AI-related risks and opportunities in family life. Using a survey of 302 parents conducted between December 2025 and January 2026 through stratified sampling to approximate the demographic composition of the Malaysian population, the study investigates whether knowledge about AI and generative AI predicts parents’ perceptions of AI. Descriptive findings indicate that Malaysian parents demonstrate moderate to relatively high levels of AI knowledge, particularly regarding the presence of AI in everyday applications and its ability to generate digital content. At the same time, parents express concerns about risks such as technology dependency, misinformation, privacy issues, and potential impacts on children’s well-being. Despite these concerns, parents also recognise significant opportunities associated with AI, especially in supporting learning, creativity, and future career preparation. Regression analysis further reveals that AI knowledge significantly predicts both risk perception and opportunity perception, suggesting that parents with greater AI literacy develop more nuanced evaluations of artificial intelligence. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening AI literacy and digital parenting initiatives to help families navigate the evolving role of artificial intelligence in children’s digital environments.

 

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, digital parenting, AI literacy, parental perceptions, Malaysian families.

 

https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2026-4202-28


Full Text:

PDF

References


Adzmi, A. M., Ramly, L. M., Nazri, S. M., Farid, N. F., & Rahman, M. A. (2021). Social media and new norms impact: “Oh! My grandparents (OMG)!” as an administrator in family WhatsApp group. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 37(4), 254–272. https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2021-3704-15

Aldakhil, A. F. (2024). Investigating the impact of an AI-based play activities intervention on the quality of life of school-aged children with ADHD. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 154, Article 104858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104858

Alrusaini, O., & Beyari, H. (2022). The sustainable effect of artificial intelligence and parental control on children's behavior while using smart devices' apps: The case of Saudi Arabia. Sustainability, 14(15), Article 9388. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159388

Druga, S., Christoph, F. L., & Ko, A. J. (2022). Family as a third space for AI literacies: How do children and parents learn about AI together? In Proceedings of the 2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (Article 225, pp. 1–17). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3491102.3502031

Entenberg, G. A., Areas, M., Roussos, A. J., Maglio, A. L., Thrall, J., Escoredo, M., & Bunge, E. L. (2021). Using an artificial intelligence-based chatbot to provide parent training: Results from a feasibility study. Social Sciences, 10(11), Article 426. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci10110426

Esmaeil, A. A. A., Kiflee @ Dzulkifli, D. N. A., Maakip, I., Matanluk, O. O., & Marshall, S. (2023). Understanding student perception regarding the use of ChatGPT in their argumentative writing: A qualitative inquiry. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 39(4), 150–165. https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2023-3904-08

Farisal, U. (2025). The impact of AI on family communication: A narrative review on children's respect for parents in developing Southeast Asia. Jurnal Parenting dan Anak, 2(2), 4–15. https://doi.org/10.47134/jpa.v2i2.1472

Ghazali, S. A., Bakar, R. S., Berahim @ Ab. Rahman, A., & Sulaiman, Z. (2025). Factors related to parental perceptions and awareness of adolescent cyberbullying in Selangor, Malaysia. IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia, 24(2), 85–94. https://doi.org/rcjt

Guo, J., Law, T. S. T., Qiao, S., & Yeung, S. S. (2025). AI literacy, educational level, and parenting self-efficacy of children’s education among parents of primary school students. Computers and Education Open, 8, Article 100318. https://doi.org/rcjv

Hamid, N. A., Rashid, S. M., Yazan, M. F., & Amin, N. A. (2023). Gadgets, parents and children: Navigating the digital landscape in families. International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling, 8(52), 531–542. https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.852041

Johari, S., Noordin, W. N. W., & Mahamad, T. E. T. (2022). WhatsApp conversations and relationships: A focus on digital communication between parent–teacher engagement in a secondary school in Putrajaya. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 38(2), 280–296. https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2022-3802-17

Li, Y., Wu, Y., & Chiu, T. K. F. (2025). How teacher presence affects student engagement with a generative artificial intelligence chatbot in learning designed with first principles of instruction. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 1–17. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2025.2493942

Lin, C., Šabanović, S., Dombrowski, L., Miller, A. D., Brady, E., & MacDorman, K. F. (2021). Parental acceptance of children’s storytelling robots: A projection of the uncanny valley of AI. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 8, Article 579993. https://doi.org/gs3m5n

Livingstone, S., & Blum-Ross, A. (2020). Parenting for a digital future: How hopes and fears about technology shape children's lives. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190874698.001.0001

Maliki, J., Tuah, K. M., Taibi, M., Govindaraju, V., & Osman, N. A. (2024). Self-expression and mental wellbeing of Malaysian youths on social media. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 40(3), 312–329. https://doi.org/ntmv

Mohamed, S., Ghazali, W. N. W., & Nasir, N. S. M. (2024). Navigating digital risks and benefits: Malaysian parents’ perceptions of their children’s digital media usage. e-Bangi, 21(1), 135–146.

Mohamed, S., Janon, N. S. I., Yusoh, M. H., Salleh, N., Nasir, N. S. M., & Ghazali, W. N. W. M. (2025). Designing and evaluating a culturally grounded digital parenting initiative in Malaysia. Intellectual Discourse, 33(3), 415–438. https://doi.org/rcjw

Mohamed, S., Wok, S., Ghazali, W. N. W. M., & Nasir, N. S. M. (2022). Maternal digital competencies as a prerequisite for effective digital parenting among Malaysian mothers. International Journal of Social Policy and Society, 14(2), 115–135.

Piombo, M. A., La Grutta, S., Epifanio, M. S., Di Napoli, G., & Novara, C. (2025). Emotional intelligence and adolescents' use of artificial intelligence: A parent–adolescent study. Behavioral Sciences, 15(8), Article 1142. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15081142

Ruijia, Z., Wenling, L., & Xuemei, Z. (2025). The impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on learning outcomes in early childhood and primary education: A meta-analysis of moderating factors. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, Article 1540169. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1540169

Stoilova, M., Livingstone, S., & Sylwander, K. R. (2025). Researching children’s experiences of generative artificial intelligence: A child rights approach. Digital Futures for Children Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science. https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/129141

Syahril, R., Priatna, P., Hutomo, A., & Wulandari, S. (2024). The impact of technology on family communication. Golden Ratio of Data in Summary, 4(2), 1001–1009. https://doi.org/10.52970/grdis.v4i2.754

Szondy, M. B., & Magyary, Á. (2025). Artificial intelligence (AI) in the family system: Possible positive and detrimental effects on parenting, communication and family dynamics. European Journal of Mental Health, 20, 1–15. https://doi.org/rcjx

Wang, G., Zhao, J., Van Kleek, M., Shadbolt, N., & Howard, E. (2024). Challenges and opportunities in translating ethical AI principles into practice for children. Nature Machine Intelligence, 6(3), 265–270. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-024-00805-x

Zhang, Y., Halili, S. H., & Zainuddin, Z. (2026). Generative AI in preschool education: A systematic review with SWOT analysis. Contemporary Educational Technology, 18(1), Article 626. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/17866


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


e-ISSN: 2289-1528