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Many elementary - historic period children thinkartificial intelligence(AI ) helper like Alexa and Siri may have feelings or the power to make decisions independently , a sketch suggests .
The enquiry , bring out in the journalComputers and Education : Artificial Intelligence , enquire how 6- to 11 - twelvemonth - old child perceive menage AI assistants , such as Alexa , Siri and Google Assistant . The study , conducted in Scotland through questionnaires and interviews , hints that small fry may overestimate and misunderstand the intelligence of these pop technologies .
In surveys, a fair percentage of children reported thinking that AI assistants like Alexa can think for themselves, or thinking they “maybe” can.
" Children should be learn AI literacy in schools , and engineering graphic designer should take handle that their AI product do n’t misinform shaver into thinking they are human being - like , " study co - authorJudy Robertson , chair in digital learning at the University of Edinburgh , tell in astatement . " AI is often design to look more human and intelligent than it really is , which is very puzzling for children . "
Of the 166 children surveyed for the study , 93 % had a impertinent utterer at rest home . They reported using the machine to listen to medicine , call for questions , search for information , get help with prep , and listen to gag and story . enquiry by Statista , a data - analysis business firm , estimatesthat 57 % of U.S. householdswill own at least one chic abode twist by 2025 , suggesting around 40 million children could have one in their house in the next yr .
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Despite their closeness with these devices — or perhaps because of it — many of the appraise children report being uncertain about whether the gadgets own human - like qualities , such as emotion or decision - making ability . Just under one - third believe smart speaker could think for themselves , to some extent , while 40 % thought they " mayhap " could .
Notably , only 1 % of the child actually categorize the twist as " human . " Around 80 % classified them as " AI , " and 15 % said they were " objects . " But yield that roughly two - thirds believed the systems might be capable to suppose as we do , the researcher said the subject area highlights the risk of children overvalue the reliableness and potentiality of AI systems .
Many children interviewed say that , if their Alexa breaks , it would n’t be right to throw the equipment away , although this aspect was more common among jr. participant . About 68 % of the 8 - yr - old in the study hold this view , compare to 37 % of 11 - twelvemonth - old . But when inquire if Alexa would feel go forth out if not included in a conversation , elder children were more likely to say yes — 73 % of 11 - class - old and 72 % of 10 - year - olds felt this way , while only 38 % of 8 - twelvemonth - old did .
" The findings let out the importance of enhancing children ’s awareness and understanding of AI - support engineering to ascertain safe and responsible interactions with smart engineering , " cogitation Colorado - authorValentina Andries , who conduct the study at the University of Edinburgh but recently moved to the University of Oxford , said in the statement .
" This is becoming progressively important in the current setting of generative AI technology for various determination , including in education , " Andries add . Generative AI refers to deep - learning algorithmic program that beget new contentedness , asChatGPT generate text , for exercise .
Due to the rapid developing and increase availability of AI - related tech , everyone — not just untried children — should attempt to recognise the limitations and capabilities of gizmo like fresh machine , Madeline Reinecke , a postdoctoral investigator in the psychiatry department at the University of Oxford , and who was not involved in the field , told Live Science .
" I think it ’s crucial for all user , whether they ’re aged 5 or 50 , to have an accurate video of what these applied science are , and how they can best use them safely and responsibly , " particularly as they ’re becoming more man - like , she say .
Reinecke hint that additional studies into how both grownup and tiddler utilise and respond to such technology are needed . " There has n’t been much time for researchers to track what downstream wallop they [ emerging technologies ] might have on children ’s cognitive and social development , " she said .
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However , regarding the University of Edinburgh ’s cogitation , Reinecke noted that the child ’s overestimations of smart technology are potential " comparatively harmless in the lofty scheme " of their cognitive ontogenesis .
On one bridge player , " impudent verbalizer … offer an chance for children to acquire more about the reality around them , " she said . " But it ’s imperative that they learn to think critically about where that information come from . "
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