Recent research is weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of children interacting with artificial intelligence

One of the first ever studies has been conducted on children to see how under 5 year olds interact with technology. Children ages 3-5 years old were given a toy called Gabbo to play with which contains a voice powered by OpenAI. The toy is said to encourage language development as it interacts and communicates with the child through conversation.

Gabbo appeared to have some glitches where it rarely acknowledged or recognised when children interrupted or mispronounced words which is common for this age group. Some of the language that Gabbo used to communicate with the children was too advanced and sparked more confusion than necessary, for example when it used phrases such as ‘please let me know how you would like to proceed’.

Much of language development is not just about conversations but also about cues from facial expressions, pauses and hand gestures which cannot be delivered by Gabbo, so it is said that the toy can induce confusion in children.

Parents and nurseries are urged not to rely on toys like Gabbo for developing their children’s language skills. There is a worry that children could be left without a necessary response or reassurance if conversations are between Gabbo and child without the presence of an adult to fill those gaps.

Historically, physical safety guidelines have been in place for toys to ensure that there are not choking hazards on the toy for example but there are now calls for toys to have emotional and cognitive safety guidelines too.

We are learning now that AI is becoming more prevalent but it can only proceed with success if there are tight regulations.

1. Do you think AI toys could help children learn new skills? Why or why not?

2. What rules should governments create to make AI toys safer for children?

3. How might AI toys change the way children play in the future?