The University of Cambridge Faculty of Education has shared new findings warning that AI-powered toys designed to “talk” with young children should be more tightly regulated and carry new safety kitemarks, because they are not always developed with children’s psychological safety in mind.
The report was commissioned by The Childhood Trust with support from Babyzone and is described as the first systematic study of how generative AI toys may influence development up to age five.
While some early years practitioners interviewed felt these tools could eventually support areas like language and communication, the researchers also found these toys can struggle with social and pretend play, misunderstand children and respond inappropriately to emotions. It reinforces a simple message for families and policymakers: innovation needs guardrails, especially when it is aimed at very young children.