As work pressures and education costs rise, many parents in China are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to help manage their children’s studies. One such tool is Dola, an AI chatbot developed by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Lu Qijun, a television journalist from Guangdong province, uses the app to monitor her son’s homework remotely. Placing her phone on his desk, the AI keeps its camera on, gently reminding him to sit straight, stop fidgeting, or speed up when his pace slows — even when she is not in the room.

Rising popularity amid education cost worries

According to data from QuestMobile, Dola has around 172 million monthly users. Its learning-focused version, Dola Aixue, alone has close to 8.76 million active users.

Parents say the appeal lies not just in convenience, but affordability. With China’s economic growth slowing and strict regulations on private tutoring, families are reassessing heavy spending on education.

“Dola can keep an eye on him for me,” Ms Lu said, adding that parents worry about investing heavily in education without guaranteed outcomes — a concern often summed up in the popular phrase “rotten-tail kids,” referring to unemployed graduates despite years of tutoring.

Reducing conflict at home

Some parents say AI supervision also reduces tension between them and their children. Wu Yuting from Henan province, who has two primary school-going children, said homework time often ended in arguments before they began using AI support.

“They behave better in front of AI,” she said. “They think I talk too much.”

Experts note that AI systems are designed to sound calm and encouraging, which may explain why children respond differently compared to parental instructions after long workdays.

Experts urge balance and boundaries

However, specialists caution against over-reliance. Dr Qi Jing of RMIT University warned that avoiding conflict entirely may not be healthy.

“Children’s brains need struggle and challenge to develop properly,” she said.

Legal and ethics experts such as Jeannie Paterson from the University of Melbourne have also raised concerns about excessive AI use, privacy, and reduced real-world social interaction.

A tool, not a replacement

Parents like Ms Lu agree AI should remain a support tool. She limits how often the chatbot intervenes and prefers to sit with her son whenever possible.

“He’s still very young,” she said. “I don’t want him to treat it as a companion.”