Inclusive Child-centered AI: Employing design futuring for Inclusive design of inclusive AI by and with children in Finland and India

TL;DR

This paper explores how to design inclusive, ethical AI for children by involving them in envisioning future AI applications through design futuring in schools in India and Finland.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach combining child-centered design and design futuring to foster inclusive AI development with children's active participation.

Findings

Children can critically reflect on AI biases.

Design futuring encourages inclusive AI visions.

Case studies demonstrate effective child involvement.

Abstract

Children increasingly use applications utilizing Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI/ML). Given the propensity of such applications to propagate existing social, gender, and racial biases, it becomes imperative to consider designing and developing child-centered AI applications for children. Furthermore, children should have opportunities and skills to critically reflect on current applications and envision and design better AI/ML applications that are ethical, specifically, those that are inclusive and fair. In our work, we focus on child-centered AI and inclusion. Using a two-fanged approach to inclusion and employing design futuring in our research with schools in India and Finland, children critically considered future technology design for all. In this paper, we present three cases of this work: a study with students at a school in New Delhi and two studies with students at schools in Oulu. Our work showcases how to design for inclusion - by designing for all, and how to design inclusively - by inviting children to envision the future, through design futuring approaches.