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Children and artificial intelligence: risks, opportunities and the future

Mon 25 April 2022

Online

Language-based artificial intelligence (AI) is already influencing the development of children around the world. Intelligent autonomous systems increasingly provide crucial functionality for toys, virtual assistants, chatbots, video games, smartphones and social media platforms, and the more children interact with these technologies, the more they influence their social and cognitive development. Recent research has shown that speaking frequently to devices such as Alexa, Cortana or Siri can change the way children communicate, and many parents remain uncertain about issues such as the appropriate age for children to be given their first smartphone and whether extended periods of screen time are potentially harmful for them. In addition, pre-teens and teenagers on social media are increasingly exposed to cyberbullying as well as content that is sexually explicit, racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic. Although many countries impose an age limit that prohibits children under 13 from using social media, in practice it is almost impossible to police the restriction. In addition, the dominant corporations are constantly seeking new ways to attract pre-teens by developing platforms such as YouTube Kids and Messenger Kids. From a business perspective, the economic incentive is clear: if users become addicted early, they are likely to remain addicted as they pass through adolescence and into adulthood.

While concerns about such risks are widespread, there are more positive scenarios that should be considered too. For example, language-based AI techniques can protect young and vulnerable social media users, and data-driven anti-cyberbullying systems can either discourage the perpetrators or else support the victims. Further, the digitisation of learning has created numerous opportunities for intelligent autonomous systems to provide targeted personalised support for children who may be disadvantaged in more traditional classroom environments. Specifically, AI-guided learning has the potential to benefit those with conditions such as ADHD and dyslexia since automated tutorial platforms can adapt to a given student’s individual pace and style of learning.

Cost: free