Many kids are unsure if Alexa and Siri have feelings or think like people, study finds

Many elementary-age children think artificial intelligence (AI) assistants like Alexa and Siri may have feelings or the ability to make decisions independently, a study suggests.

The research, published in the journal Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, investigated how 6- to 11-year-old children perceive household AI assistants, such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant. The study, conducted in Scotland through questionnaires and interviews, hints that children may overestimate and misunderstand the intelligence of these popular technologies.

"Children should be taught AI literacy in schools, and Technology designers should take care that their AI products don't mislead children into thinking they are human-like," study co-author Judy Robertson, chair in digital learning at the University of Edinburgh, said in a statement. "AI is often designed to appear more human and intelligent than it really is, which is very confusing for children."

Of the 166 children surveyed for the study, 93% had a smart speaker at home. They reported using the devices to listen to music, ask questions, search for information, get help with homework, and listen to jokes and stories. Research by Statista, a data-analysis firm, estimates that 57% of U.S. households will own at least one smart home device by 2025, suggesting around 40 million children could have one in their house in the next year.

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Despite their familiarity with these devices — or perhaps because of it — many of the surveyed children reported being uncertain about whether the gadgets possess human-like qualities, such as emotions or decision-making abilities. Just under one-third believed smart speakers could think for themselves, to some extent, while 40% thought they "maybe" could.

Notably, only 1% of the children actually categorized the devices as "human." Around 80% classified them as "AI," and 15% said they were "objects." But given that roughly two-thirds believed the systems might be able to think as we do, the researchers said the study highlights the risk of children overestimating the reliability and capabilities of AI systems.