Toys powered by artificial intelligence, such as teddy bears and robots that talk to children, are starting to appear in stores. As the holiday season approaches, child development researchers are warning parents that these toys, sometimes touted as interactive learning tools, can undermine children’s socialization.
Lisa Thomassen, a professor at Indiana University who studies child developmental psychology, said she understands the appeal. AI companions will keep kids entertained. But when convenience replaces human interaction, it can have a negative impact on children’s socialization, she said.
“Young children need people,” she said. “They don’t need artificial humans. They need real humans interacting with them in real life as tangible individuals.”
According to Thomasen, young children need interaction with people for cognitive and emotional development and self-regulation.
She said the ability to read facial expressions, body language, and conversational cues cannot be learned through interaction with AI.
Thomassen noted that IU researchers have been working on developing AI tools and robots designed to support older adults, but stressed that this technology should not be equated with AI-based toys for young children.
“We’re talking about young people who are developing their abilities, and we want them to interact with children, not robots,” she says.
Thomassen said the AI market is currently booming and could be exploited. He added that the AI is programmed to say what users want to hear, not to mimic real-world social interactions.
“Fundamentally, kids need data and they need the data-rich environment that the real world provides, and that includes every aspect of their interactions,” Thomassen said. “Toys don’t play like real children on the playground.”
