Latest news with #ScottKollins
Axios
21-07-2025
- Science
- Axios
Chatbots' new job: minding tots
Young children who directly interact with chatbots face new developmental risks, pediatricians and psychologists warn. Why it matters: Assessing the impacts early could help protect a new generation from becoming guinea pigs for tech we don't fully understand. The big picture: Most kids under five aren't using voice-based AI yet. Young kids already see AI-generated content — but on its own, that isn't necessarily a new problem. Low-quality images and videos commonly known as AI slop don't differ that much from the low end of mass-produced kids' media that's been around for decades. The real concern is interaction with live AI, which can be both powerfully engaging and confusing at the same time. Imagine "Blue's Clues," but the character answers in real time and adapts to a child's input. Talking with AI could shape children's brain development and social connections in unknown ways. Chatbot use — especially among young children — is still new. There are no long-term studies on its impact, but we do know a lot about how screen time and tech use affect child development. The amount of time kids spend on devices is disrupting or arresting other important developmental milestones, Scott Kollins, psychologist and chief medical officer at family software company Aura, told Axios. "We've seen that with older kids. And with kids between zero and five, their brains are developing faster, and they're hitting these super important social milestones more frequently." Interacting with AI chatbots, Kollins warns, has "the potential to be even that much more disruptive" — but right now, "it is all conjecture in terms of this specific type of interaction." What they're saying: Interaction with generative AI could "fundamentally change the human brain," says Dana Suskind, a pediatric physician and expert on early childhood and early language development. Suskind says teenagers and adults are already forming relationships with AI companions. The same could happen with younger kids. "The content and experience that kids are exposed to in early years isn't just sort of changing things the same way social media impacted adolescent brains," Suskind told Axios. "It is actually changing the foundational wiring of the human brain." "Children naturally anthropomorphize," Suskind wrote in an email, "but with responsive AI, we're entering uncharted territory for how this might shape their developing sense of reality and relationships." Between the lines: Some child development researchers worry that chatbots could reshape how children learn trust, empathy and connection. A small study from 2024 showed that kids ages 3-6 were more likely to trust a robot than a human, even when that robot had proven to be less reliable than the human. Trust is a particularly thorny problem for those who rely on AI, since many researchers argue that these tools might always be prone to making things up. Chatbots also tell people what they want to hear. They're trained to please, which means they're unlikely to say "no" — a word that small children need to learn to deal with. "It changes the way that kids learn about the cadence and the natural progression of interaction with others," Kollins says. "That's a problem if [young kids] don't learn how responding in a certain way or broaching particular kinds of topics might be met with certain reactions." The other side: AI can make up stories, answer questions or generate elaborate images at the whim of a creative child. Many parents are already using chatbots to ease the stress of parenting, including helping to satisfy kids' boundless curiosity. Amazon's smart home devices — now with Alexa+ boosted AI — come in styles aimed at the youngest users and promise that "kids can create unique stories they dream up with Alexa." Some early studies show that when children engage in story-based dialogues with AI, rather than just listening passively, they learn more vocabulary and comprehend content better. In some cases, researchers found these gains were comparable to those from human interactions. Kollins says that as adults our responsibility to provide our young children with all the information and content that's meaningful or stimulating will be reduced, and that's not all bad. "Why should [our children] rely just on this narrow sliver of what dad knows, versus the universe of content?" Kollins says. Yes, but: AI interactions may crowd out important human interactions and activities for young children. CNN tech reporter Samantha Murphy Kelly wrote in 2018 that because she used Amazon's voice assistant so often, "Alexa" was among the first four words her toddler understood. Some scientists also worry that even if AI tools do benefit some kids, those gains could just deepen existing educational disparities. "The one thing that makes us uniquely human," Kollins says, "whether it's for younger kids or even for older kids, is just the entire range of non-verbal communication... subtle facial expressions and body language... that you miss when you're in front of a screen."
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Aura Introduces AI-Powered Tools to Take on Youth Mental Health Crisis
New protections embrace connection over 'control,' giving parents deeper insights, tailored to each child, to help keep them safe, happy and healthy BOSTON, March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Family online safety app Aura introduced first-of-their-kind tools designed to empower parents to protect their kids from the mental and physical harms of the online world. As kids spend more than three months of the year online,1 Aura's latest AI-powered insights reimagine modern parenting, moving beyond outdated parental controls to offer a deeper, more personalized understanding of your child's online world and its impact on their mental health. "You get your kid a helmet when they learn to ride a bike, you sit in the passenger seat when they have their learner's permit, but you do nothing to prepare them for life online," said Hari Ravichandran, founder and CEO of Aura. "My kids were struggling and I didn't know, because it was masked behind their screens. I needed a solution that didn't exist, so I built one." Aura's AI provides parents the summarized insights they need to know their kid is okay, while respecting the child's privacy. Aura's AI analyzes language patterns, online tone, emotional expression and late-night activity to detect signs of stress, procrastination or shifting moods. It provides parents with an easy-to-digest report that showcases the way their child interacts with apps, platforms and websites. Beyond safety, it even assesses social styles, offering insights into their digital relationships and helps parents nurture their child's strengths. Aura's medical science team is at the core of our development, ensuring every feature is built with clinical expertise and real-world insight. Our in-house experts work alongside members of the Digital Parenthood Coalition, like Boston Children's Hospital, and our Parent and Teen Panels, as we shape and refine every feature. Through research like the TECHWISE Study that we launched this year, we're continuously refining our tools to better protect families in today's digital world. Learn more at Some of the psychology-based features developed by our medical science team that you'll have access to now and in the coming months include: Online behavior trends keeping your kid up at night Device habits that may be distracting your kid during the school day Changes in time spent on social media, gaming or chatting with AI Alerts to serious health concerns like suicide or self harm "Kids need more than just limits; they need guidance," said Dr. Scott Kollins, chief medical officer at Aura. "Their phones are integral to their social lives and experiences, so simply keeping them off devices isn't an option. Our job as parents is to help them develop healthier tech habits." By offering a smarter, more adaptive approach to digital wellness, Aura empowers parents to guide their kids toward safe, happy and balanced online habits. Data & Privacy Aura prioritizes privacy and data protection with encryption on par with banking and military standards. Personal data is anonymized, retained only as needed and never sold. Aura also upholds consumer rights, including the right to be forgotten. Learn more at Pricing & Availability These features are now available in beta to new subscribers of Aura's Family and Kids Plans, with continued rollout to existing subscribers. Updates will be released throughout the first half of 2025. For pricing details, visit About AuraAura is one of the fastest-growing online safety solutions for individuals and families. Whether you're protecting yourself, your kids or your aging loved ones, Aura meets your needs at every stage of life. With real-time monitoring and alerts, Aura helps detect and mitigate online threats like scams, predators, and cyberbullying—empowering families with the right tools to thrive in the digital world. Learn more at 1 Aura's State of the Youth Report View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Aura Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
24-03-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Aura Introduces AI-Powered Tools to Take on Youth Mental Health Crisis
New protections embrace connection over 'control,' giving parents deeper insights, tailored to each child, to help keep them safe, happy and healthy BOSTON, March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Family online safety app Aura introduced first-of-their-kind tools designed to empower parents to protect their kids from the mental and physical harms of the online world. As kids spend more than three months of the year online,1 Aura's latest AI-powered insights reimagine modern parenting, moving beyond outdated parental controls to offer a deeper, more personalized understanding of your child's online world and its impact on their mental health. 'You get your kid a helmet when they learn to ride a bike, you sit in the passenger seat when they have their learner's permit, but you do nothing to prepare them for life online,' said Hari Ravichandran, founder and CEO of Aura. 'My kids were struggling and I didn't know, because it was masked behind their screens. I needed a solution that didn't exist, so I built one.' Aura's AI provides parents the summarized insights they need to know their kid is okay, while respecting the child's privacy. Aura's AI analyzes language patterns, online tone, emotional expression and late-night activity to detect signs of stress, procrastination or shifting moods. It provides parents with an easy-to-digest report that showcases the way their child interacts with apps, platforms and websites. Beyond safety, it even assesses social styles, offering insights into their digital relationships and helps parents nurture their child's strengths. Aura's medical science team is at the core of our development, ensuring every feature is built with clinical expertise and real-world insight. Our in-house experts work alongside members of the Digital Parenthood Coalition, like Boston Children's Hospital, and our Parent and Teen Panels, as we shape and refine every feature. Through research like the TECHWISE Study that we launched this year, we're continuously refining our tools to better protect families in today's digital world. Learn more at Some of the psychology-based features developed by our medical science team that you'll have access to now and in the coming months include: Online behavior trends keeping your kid up at night Device habits that may be distracting your kid during the school day Changes in time spent on social media, gaming or chatting with AI Alerts to serious health concerns like suicide or self harm 'Kids need more than just limits; they need guidance,' said Dr. Scott Kollins, chief medical officer at Aura. 'Their phones are integral to their social lives and experiences, so simply keeping them off devices isn't an option. Our job as parents is to help them develop healthier tech habits.' By offering a smarter, more adaptive approach to digital wellness, Aura empowers parents to guide their kids toward safe, happy and balanced online habits. Data & Privacy Aura prioritizes privacy and data protection with encryption on par with banking and military standards. Personal data is anonymized, retained only as needed and never sold. Aura also upholds consumer rights, including the right to be forgotten. Learn more at Pricing & Availability These features are now available in beta to new subscribers of Aura's Family and Kids Plans, with continued rollout to existing subscribers. Updates will be released throughout the first half of 2025. For pricing details, visit About Aura
