Futurist Sinead Bovell warns against kids' growing dependence on AI in education: 'We missed the smartphone era, let's not miss this'

Economic Times

06-05-2025

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At the 2025 edition of South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, futurist and tech ethicist Sinead Bovell raised a pressing concern about the growing relationship between children and AI chatbots . In her talk, Bovell highlighted how constant interaction with emotionally intelligent AI systems may be creating a new kind of addiction among young users.'We are now giving kids access to an infinite, never-ending opportunity to engage with an imaginary friend—something that is always on, can answer all of their questions,' she said. 'That is a recipe for a new type of addiction.'Bovell drew parallels with the widespread use of smartphones in schools and how society is now trying to undo their long-term effects. 'We kind of missed the smartphones, and now we're all trying to get them back out of the classrooms,' she observed. 'We can see this line of sight directly with AI systems and chatbots.'Her point was simple yet impactful—unregulated use of advanced AI tools by children could lead to long-term behavioural changes, dependency, and emotional detachment from real-world relationships.Bovell urged parents and educators to keep track of how often children are engaging with chatbots and to look out for behavioural changes. Even a minor comment during a parent-teacher meeting—such as a student being unusually withdrawn—could be a sign of deeper tech dependency.She emphasized that while AI can be useful, the lack of guardrails around its use, especially by minors, poses risks that are often overlooked. 'We have to really be looking out for this,' she said, adding that it's not just about screen time, but emotional time spent with AI systems.Sinead Bovell has made a name for herself as a bridge between emerging technologies and everyday users. Founder of WAYE (Weekly Advice for Young Entrepreneurs), she has educated thousands on digital literacy , AI ethics, and responsible innovation. A former model and management consultant, she has also been involved with the United Nations and holds certifications from MIT in AI ethics.Her advocacy focuses on ensuring that marginalized communities are included in the digital future and that innovation doesn't come at the cost of psychological well-being—especially for children.Bovell's SXSW session served as a timely reminder that as AI systems evolve, so must our understanding of their impact on younger users. Her message was clear: the emotional and cognitive development of children must not be left to chance in the age of AI.'We're entering a space where children could form relationships with systems that don't really understand them,' she concluded. 'And if we're not careful, the consequences could last far longer than we expect.'