Dr Emily Goodacre and Professor Jenny Gibson are researching the implications of new toys with embedded Artificial Intelligence (AI) for young children from backgrounds of socio-economic disadvantage. The project brings together the perspectives of early years practitioners, parents, and children to understand how AI toys could impact children aged five and under. It also examines children’s observed play behaviours with an AI toy, with findings due to be published in early 2026.
You can learn more about the study from its launch in 2025 here. Emily and Jenny have also published a letter in the Guardian calling for a greater dialogue on how childhood could be impacted by AI toys.
PEDAL is conducting this study in partnership with The Childhood Trust, a London-based child poverty charity.