"If anybody finds out you are in BIG TROUBLE": Understanding Children's Hopes, Fears, and Evaluations of Generative AI
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866915297813856256 |
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| author | Dangol, Aayushi Wolfe, Robert Yoo, Daeun Thiruvillakkat, Arya Chickadel, Ben Kientz, Julie A. |
| author_facet | Dangol, Aayushi Wolfe, Robert Yoo, Daeun Thiruvillakkat, Arya Chickadel, Ben Kientz, Julie A. |
| contents | As generative artificial intelligence (genAI) increasingly mediates how children learn, communicate, and engage with digital content, understanding children's hopes and fears about this emerging technology is crucial. In a pilot study with 37 fifth-graders, we explored how children (ages 9-10) envision genAI and the roles they believe it should play in their daily life. Our findings reveal three key ways children envision genAI: as a companion providing guidance, a collaborator working alongside them, and a task automator that offloads responsibilities. However, alongside these hopeful views, children expressed fears about overreliance, particularly in academic settings, linking it to fears of diminished learning, disciplinary consequences, and long-term failure. This study highlights the need for child-centric AI design that balances these tensions, empowering children with the skills to critically engage with and navigate their evolving relationships with digital technologies. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_16089 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | "If anybody finds out you are in BIG TROUBLE": Understanding Children's Hopes, Fears, and Evaluations of Generative AI Dangol, Aayushi Wolfe, Robert Yoo, Daeun Thiruvillakkat, Arya Chickadel, Ben Kientz, Julie A. Human-Computer Interaction As generative artificial intelligence (genAI) increasingly mediates how children learn, communicate, and engage with digital content, understanding children's hopes and fears about this emerging technology is crucial. In a pilot study with 37 fifth-graders, we explored how children (ages 9-10) envision genAI and the roles they believe it should play in their daily life. Our findings reveal three key ways children envision genAI: as a companion providing guidance, a collaborator working alongside them, and a task automator that offloads responsibilities. However, alongside these hopeful views, children expressed fears about overreliance, particularly in academic settings, linking it to fears of diminished learning, disciplinary consequences, and long-term failure. This study highlights the need for child-centric AI design that balances these tensions, empowering children with the skills to critically engage with and navigate their evolving relationships with digital technologies. |
| title | "If anybody finds out you are in BIG TROUBLE": Understanding Children's Hopes, Fears, and Evaluations of Generative AI |
| topic | Human-Computer Interaction |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.16089 |