By Kerry Gallagher
Common Sense released new research in which they found, “Smart toys with voice-based AI chatbots promise interactive learning and companionship for young children, but these connected devices introduce serious developmental, privacy, safety, and attachment risks.” AI toys are voice-activated devices that simulate conversations, answer questions, and even tell stories. The research was aimed at parents of children ages 0-12, but it provides helpful insights for parents and caregivers of teens as well. Some of the key findings include:
- Mis-Matched Design: “Some toys labeled 13+ are cuddly, colorful, and feature kids age 3 to 8 in their advertising. These products combine sophisticated AI capabilities with designs that appeal to young children who lack the cognitive development to use them safely.”
- Attachment and Dependency Risks: “The always-available, always-agreeable nature of AI companions can make real relationships seem difficult by comparison, setting unrealistic expectations.”
- Reliability Problems: “Like other generative AI products, these toys share a fundamental weakness: They sound authoritative even when they are wrong.”
These findings demonstrate that AI-powered devices require some AI literacy skills to use safely and effectively. Parents and educators cannot delay teaching AI literacy to children and teens. Digital Promise has resources that can help us understand what AI literacy is and how to model it for and teach it to our kids.
- Tool Selection: Prompt your child to explain why an AI algorithm is or isn’t the right tool for a specific task, which reinforces its status as a utility rather than a companion.
- Human Judgment: Encourage your child to evaluate AI “opinions” or “advice” by asking if the output aligns with their own family values or personal logic, reinforcing that the AI lacks a moral compass.
- Information Credibility: Ask your teen to cross-reference AI-generated facts with two reliable external sources to emphasize that AI is a data processor, not an infallible truth-teller.
Just like other information sources, such as articles, videos, and news, our kids need help learning the literacy skills required to access and interpret generative AI. Parents can play a part in building these skills at home.