Professor Dana Suskind of the University of Chicago, a renowned expert in early childhood development, has warned that artificial intelligence (AI)-based toys designed for children could pose serious developmental risks.
AzEdu.az reports that the scientist shared her views on this topic in an article published in TIME magazine and called on parents, as well as society, to be more vigilant.
New generation toys that have entered the market in recent years – talking “Barbie” dolls, soft toys named Curio, and various chatbot-based products – are distinguished by their ability to engage in human-like communication with children. While at first glance such toys may appear educational and beneficial, experts warn that they could replace live human interaction, potentially leading to problems in children's development.
Dr. Suskind states that scientific research proves that the most crucial factor for children's brain development is live, warm, and reciprocal dialogue. During such interaction, millions of neural connections are formed every second. Although artificial intelligence toys can imitate this process to some extent, they cannot fully replace human interaction.
According to the professor, the main danger is that AI toys may relegate communication with parents, family members, and the real social environment to the background. This, in the long term, could negatively impact the development of children's language, emotional, and social skills.
Dr. Suskind considers the implementation of more stringent control mechanisms in the field of AI toys to be necessary. She proposes that transparency, independent scientific testing, and age-appropriate labeling should be mandatory for these products.
“The residents of Troy did not inspect the inside of the horse, but we still have time to examine the toy at our doorstep,” the professor emphasized.
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