Young Children & AI Characters: Perspectives on Research, Design, and Guardrails

How do AI characters such as animated chatbots, social robots, and smart speakers – shape young children’s learning experiences? This talk explores interdisciplinary perspectives on designing ethical and developmentally appropriate AI interactions for children. Drawing from research in the learning sciences, human-computer interaction, and visual design, Dr. Sonia Tiwari will discuss emerging challenges, propose guardrails, and introduce frameworks for assessing AI’s educational impact. Attendees will gain insights into best practices for creating responsible and effective AI-driven experiences (when relevant) for young learners.