The rapid and accelerating advancements in the world of technology have led to the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in educating children. This has raised concerns about the impact of modern technologies on the orientations of future generations.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has warned against replacing teachers with AI programs, arguing that this affects children's emotional well-being and makes them vulnerable to manipulation.

In a series of guidelines issued on September 7, 2023, UNESCO urged governments to act "quickly" to regulate the use of AI tools in classrooms, including limiting their use to older children.

The UN organization stated that public authorities are unprepared to handle the ethical issues associated with adopting AI programs in school environments.

A statement from UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay read, "Generative artificial intelligence can be a major opportunity for human development, but it can also be a source of harm and damage."

Azoulay added, "It is unacceptable to introduce it into education without public involvement and robust government safeguards and legislation."

AI, among its definitions, refers to a set of technologies and systems designed to enable computer systems to perform tasks considered intelligent when performed by humans.

The goal of AI is to develop systems capable of learning from data and making decisions based on that learning without requiring specific programming for a particular task.

AI is used in a variety of industries and applications, including medicine, manufacturing, automotive, finance, gaming, education, healthcare, and more.

The increasing use of AI represents a significant shift in how humans interact with technology and how computer systems perform their tasks.

Since late 2022, many AI programs have become publicly accessible, following the launch of OpenAI's "ChatGPT," capable of writing articles, poems, and conducting coherent conversations based on brief questions.

However, the proliferation of these programs has simultaneously raised concerns about new forms of intellectual theft or cheating in schools and universities.

Children's interest in AI is part of their broader enthusiasm for modern technology, which has become significantly impactful on their lives through mobile devices and computers.

While children's interest in AI can be beneficial and positively influence their personal and professional development, it also poses health and ethical risks.

Experts have urged caution regarding the potential risks of exposing children to unproven technologies without considering their effects on psychological and cognitive development.

In this context, child psychology specialist and author of "How Toddlers Thrive," Dr. Tovah Klein, told CNBC: "We know AI still has a long way to go in terms of accuracy."

She continued, "Certainly for younger children—elementary and preschool-aged—they absolutely need adult engagement when using the digital world, let alone a digital world that may contain more inaccurate information."

Klein explained why allowing children to use AI tools might be a bad idea and what parents should do instead.

"Even AI systems that have evolved to the point of approaching human-level intelligence still tend to produce inaccurate information," she said.

Klein noted that younger children in elementary school are far more likely than adults to accept information as fact from authoritative figures without questioning it.

She added that this makes it essential for children to have adult guidance to develop an understanding that information is sometimes accurate and sometimes not.

Even without concerns about inaccurate information, parents must supervise AI use by their children for a simple reason, Klein said: "You understand the context and nuances better than machines do. Children need to understand the individual steps to solve a math problem rather than inputting content for a correct or incorrect answer."

"AI-supported teachers and educational programs can ultimately benefit young children, particularly those lacking access to educational resources. However, I caution against letting children rely on them as a primary learning tool," Klein added.

She also highlighted the risks of overuse: "The more time children spend with AI, the less time they spend with other humans.

"Human interaction is crucial, and screens limit that. Children are in a phase of rapid developmental learning, and their brains are moving quickly. Part of what they're learning involves exchanging nonverbal cues."

Klein offered parents some tips regarding their children's use of AI systems in education:

• Don't let AI tools be their sole source of information.
• Ensure a human can help them discuss how they arrived at an answer.
• Help them fully understand it, so they don't miss critical cognitive development.
• Help your children understand they are interacting with a machine.
• Monitor the amount of time your children spend on it, just as you would with social media.

It is worth noting that Klein does not recommend completely banning AI from your children's lives.

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