Raising Generation AI

Do I need to worry about my son's AI companion? Fiona and Holly are joined by Professor Andrew McStay, director of Bangor University's Emotional AI Lab, to talk about AI companions and what's actually going on when a child forms a bond with one. Andrew shares research showing around 80% of UK teenagers have tried an AI companion, with about 30% using one more than once a week - and explains what t...

The UK government has proposed banning under-16s from holding social media accounts - but does it actually protect children from AI? Fiona and Holly are joined by child trauma psychotherapist Dr Catherine Knibbs, who isn't convinced the ban will work. They dig into what the ban is actually trying to fix, and whether removing access to named platforms touches the AI behind them - the recommendation...

AI-powered toys are heading for this year's Christmas tree and in toy shop aisles right now, but what are they actually doing when your toddler talks to them? Dr Emily Goodacre joins Fiona and Holly to dig into what AI toys, like Miko, mean for a young child's development, what data they might be collecting, and why a toy can't actually manage real social play the way a person can. Covers: AI toys...

This week Holly and Fiona get stuck into the topic of the environment, learning that measuring AI’s impact is not quite as simple as it may seem. They’re joined by Dr Kelly Widdicks from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology to talk about how some research suggests that the data centres behind AI have the same carbon footprint as the whole of NYC. But it’s not all bad news as Kelly also explai...

Fiona hates driving and loves the idea of a world where automated cars are the norm, whereas Holly is pretty worried about the thought of it. With driverless cars being tested on the streets of London there was no better time than now to ask Dr Nick Reed whether our kids will ever need to take a driving test. Dr Nick is an expert in the safe deployment of driverless cars in the UK and tells us wha...

The big question this week is whether Holly is feeling any more knowledgeable about AI. Join Fiona and Holly as they reflect on what they’ve learned in the last few weeks and what they want to cover before the summer. Useful Links: askma.co.uk Find our website at raisinggenerationai.com We're also on Facebook and Instagram . The music and graphics for this podcast have been created using AI. Credi...

Holly has always considered coding a “safe-bet” career path, but now AI can code she’s not sure whether it’s a good path to encourage her daughter down. Anne-Marie Imafidon, CEO of Stemettes, joins us on the podcast to talk about tech careers, unicorns and periods. Useful Links: Stemettes (sign up to the newsletter) Link to Hannah Fry’s video about paperclips and mugs Clip of James Acaster on The...

Are we seeing the end of the Saturday job now AI is here? We’re seeing headlines all the time about AI replacing people, and it’s apparently starting with the entry level jobs. So what does that mean for our kids trying to get their foot in the door? Holly and Fiona chat to Julia Druck, whose son is heading into the world of work in less than 2 years time and she’s taking some pretty drastic steps...

What does AI in schools look like? Is AI teaching our kids or just making things easier for teachers? This week, Holly and Fiona chat about what concerns them most at the thought of AI in school. They're joined by The AI Educator Dan Fitzpatrick, whose job it is to help schools understand and prepare for AI. Useful Links: The AI Educator AI Algorithms in Covid times - BBC News Article Find our web...

We're all using AI for the little things, like checking how long it'll take to get to football practice, but when does it cross the line? This week, Holly and Fiona chat about whether leaning on AI for parenting is a bit of a cop out, or whether it can genuinely be a lifesaver when you need it most. They're joined by mum Lena Chauhan, who's had her fair share of wins (and fails) using AI for paren...

AI is officially everywhere, but can we actually opt out? This week, Holly and Fiona explore whether we have any choice but to embrace the tech - and what that means for our families. They are joined by Will Gardner OBE (CEO of Childnet and Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre) to dive into how children are really using AI and how they feel about it. Crucially, we look at how you can support y...

Weather presenter and mum of two, Holly Green, has a lot of concerns about AI. Luckily her best friend, Fiona Morgan, is an AI expert. When they get together, Holly always has a lot of questions about parenting in a world filled with AI. Instead of answering those over a glass of wine on a girls' brunch, they decided to record a podcast to help out any other parents who are also feeling a bit appr...

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