Generation AI starts early symposium

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how societies learn, work, communicate, and care for one another. It has entered homes, classrooms, and care settings through educational apps, toys, adaptive learning platforms, and developmental screening tools. Yet the needs and experiences of children under age 8 remain largely overlooked in global conversation about AI, despite this being the most critical period for brain development and the foundation for lifelong learning and well-being.

On September 9, the Center for Universal Education at Brookings and ZERO TO THREE hosted a symposium that explored the opportunities and risks of AI-embedded technologies for children from birth to age 8. Bringing together researchers, technology leaders, and other key stakeholders, the symposium examined how to ensure these technologies support rather than undermine healthy early childhood development and education.

This symposium is part of the Generation AI starts early initiative, which examines how AI is transforming the earliest years of life and explores the guardrails, research, and practices to help young children and their families flourish in an AI era.