Artificial intelligence has entered the world of childcare and early education, promising to enhance child safety, support developmental assessment, and improve educational outcomes. AI-powered cameras now monitor sleeping infants for signs of distress. Algorithms assess toddlers’ developmental milestones and flag potential delays. Learning platforms adapt to young children’s emerging skills and interests.
As AI tutoring systems, chatbots, and assessment tools become ubiquitous in education, a new standard of care is emerging for their responsible deployment. From Khan Academy’s Khanmigo reaching millions of students to universities grappling with ChatGPT policies, institutions face critical questions: When does AI enhance learning, and when does it undermine it? What safeguards protect student privacy and prevent discrimination? And who bears liability when AI systems fail?