In a TED Talks Daily episode, tech innovator Avni Patel Thompson discusses building an app intended to reduce everyday scheduling burdens for busy parents. She describes designing tools to handle tasks such as school pick-up logistics, coordinating playdates, and planning birthday parties, aiming to make family routines easier to manage. As development continues, Patel Thompson says she begins to notice something “feels off” about the direction of the product—raising a broader question about what may be lost when artificial intelligence smooths over the friction and small negotiations that occur in family life. The episode frames this concern through the lens of connection rather than convenience, and it also includes a discussion of how people can use AI in ways that support deeper engagement with loved ones. The program is part of a seven-part series connected to TED2025 speakers, hosted by Kelly Corrigan, which examines a central question: in the world of artificial intelligence, what is a parent for?