AI toys are gaining ground, but do they help children’s language skills?
A five-year-old sat with a talking AI-powered stuffed animal, as part of a University of Cambridge study. At one point, the child told the toy, “I love you.” The toy politely replied, “Kindly ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided”.I am a behavioural scientist, and for over 10 years, I have been studying how toddlers learn. I get to meet children and their families every day, and I have never once seen a parent use the phrase, “adhere to guidelines” to a young child, let alone speaking that entire sentence in a monotone.As much as I wish it was, that toy’s response was not a glitch.
- ▪A five-year-old sat with a talking AI-powered stuffed animal, as part of a University of Cambridge study.
- ▪At one point, the child told the toy, “I love you.” The toy politely replied, “Kindly ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided”.I am a behavioural scientist, and for over 10 years, I have been studying how toddlers learn.
- ▪I get to meet children and their families every day, and I have never once seen a parent use the phrase, “adhere to guidelines” to a young child, let alone speaking that entire sentence in a monotone.As much as I wish it was, that toy’s res
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A five-year-old sat with a talking AI-powered stuffed animal, as part of a University of Cambridge study. At one point, the child told the toy, “I love you.” The toy politely replied, “Kindly ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided”.I am a behavioural scientist, and for over 10 years, I have been studying how toddlers learn. I get to meet children and their families every day, and I have never once seen a parent use the phrase, “adhere to guidelines” to a young child, let alone speaking that entire sentence in a monotone.As much as I wish it was, that toy’s response was not a glitch. Published this March, the Cambridge report is a systematic look at how generative AI toys affect children under five.
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