In Machines We Trust: When AI becomes childsplay

Despite their popularity with kids, tablets and other connected devices are built on top of systems that weren’t designed for them to easily understand or navigate. Adapting algorithms to interact with a child isn’t without its complications—as no one child is exactly like another. Most recognition algorithms look for patterns and consistency to successfully identify objects. but kids are notoriously inconsistent. In this episode, we examine the relationship AI has with kids. 

We Meet:

Judith Danovitch, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Louisville 

Lisa Anthony, associate professor of computer science at the University of Florida

Tanya Basu, MIT Technology Review

Credits: 

This episode was reported and produced by Tanya Basu, Anthony Green, Jennifer Strong, and Emma Cillekens. We’re edited by Michael Reilly.