The Narrative

We've all grown up with technologies that have in some way helped shape who we are today. Everything from vital healthcare advances to things as mundane as instant messaging have had profound effects on our personal development. 

Today, we already see technologies having unintended consequences related to children's development. The iPad is a prime example, as concerns about its effects on social development and self-regulation mount. Perhaps more practically, there have been several instances where children have made large purchases by speaking to an Alexa.

Our project takes this one step further, imagining a future where intelligent personal assistants become increasingly mobile and life-like. 

Today, we can easily see the difference between Alexa and a human, but what happens as this distinction becomes increasingly blurry? How will this affect young children who grow up with these technologies? What unintended consequences might these products have on their development?