Early Childhood and AI

Generative AI is rapidly becoming ubiquitous in our lives but there has been little conversation about what this means for the very youngest members of society – our babies and children! How can the power of AI can be harnessed for positive social change that benefits all of our children? What are the potential risks and harms, and how can we avoid them? What is the right balance between regulation and innovation?

CHUA organised an event on AI and early childhood that brought together experts in innovation, child development and AI to explore the impact of AI on pre-school children’s lives. Professor Jenny Gibson led a lively panel discussion, with insightful contributions from Laurence Guinness (CEO of the Childhood Trust), Ravi Gurumurthy (CEO of Nesta) and Robert Hughes (Tamdem).

Louise Weiss, the Founder/CEO of Ogma posted:

“I don’t think I’ve ever sat in a room with such inspiring people all working at that unique cross-section of developmental psychology, AI, entrepreneurship, and ethics.

What was clear, is that so many of the AI entrepreneurs & researchers out there are in the same boat, trying to navigate how to build AI in a considered way, to support humanity, not take away from it.

With all the debate about the uncertainty around AI, it’s easy to fear the dystopian future where AI is about loss; job loss, loss of intimacy, loss of connection, loss of opportunity.

Everyone in that room yesterday was passionate, committed and so considered about taking a human-inspired approach to AI; to fuel creativity, connection, learning, and to address inequities. It was an exciting place to be.”