From “Warm Expert” to “Warm Steward”: Digital Backfeeding as Everyday Intergenerational GenAI Learning in Chinese Families

Generative AI (GenAI) is increasingly entering the everyday lives of older adults in China, yet many still struggle to understand and use it effectively. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 22 participants, this study examines intergenerational learning in which younger family members guide their older relatives in engaging with GenAI. We situate this practice within the Chinese cultural context of Digital Backfeeding and draw on Hochschild's theory of emotional labor to show how younger members' sustained patience, encouragement, and emotional regulation constitute a largely invisible form of labor. Their motivations stem both from the practical affordances of GenAI and from filial piety as a moral obligation, while emerging AI-related risks further expand their responsibilities. This work extends the Warm Expert framework and introduces Warm Steward as a new concept that captures the emotional labor and risk management involved in intergenerational AI support within the Chinese family context.