The Robot Times

From our recent work with children, we know that young people instinctively expect technology to respond to them in very human-like ways—to motivate and empower them, often serving as a sort of companion, rather than merely a tool for solving specific problems. While many adults think about technology as separate from humanness, kids tend to think of it as fundamentally human. It comforts us; it keeps us company; it helps us learn and grow; and, in some cases, it can fulfill certain emotional needs more reliably than other people.