The relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and young museum visitors is complex and often unpredictable. Two recent experiences led Jose Antonio Gordillo Martorell, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Cultural Inquiry – with 23 years of experience in education, collective creativity, content co-creation, and change-driven strategy – to advocate for a more critical and mindful approach to using AI in these spaces.
The first episode involved a mother urgently requesting a meeting with the director of a science and technology museum. She was concerned: “My son told us he will only talk to his personal chatbot from now on because it’s the only one he truly trusts. What can we do? We’re desperate.”
The second incident occurred during a children’s workshop, where participants were asked to create a virtual garden with AI-generated avatars. The children found the AI-generated images dull and uninspiring, preferring to use paper and coloured pencils to create something more exciting and authentic.
Reflecting on these experiences, Jose Antonio Gordillo Martorell raises an important question: How are we using AI in museums to engage young visitors? Are we doing it because it is inevitable, because it has become part of everyday life, or simply because it is considered “cool,” enhancing the museum’s modern image?
He expresses concern about the uncritical approach often taken when introducing AI into museums and education, where children’s voices are frequently ignored. As with past technological trends, young people are often excluded from the conversation. Do we truly know what children think about AI? Have we ever asked them? Do we understand how their interactions with similar technologies at home, such as Siri or Alexa, affect their mental and emotional development?
The greatest risk of using AI with young people is that it may reinforce biases and perpetuate unfair power structures. These “closed” technologies could misrepresent their needs and desires.
Groups such as AI for Kids UX propose a different approach to using AI in museums. First, listen to the children and involve them in a co-creation process where they decide what they want. Only then should AI come into play as a tool, not a guide. The key technologies in this process are active listening, empathy, play, and storytelling, which help build AI that prioritises children’s needs, sparking creativity and empathy without limiting their potential.
Museums have a unique opportunity to reposition AI, offering children enriching, rather than limiting, experiences. The challenge is clear: Are we ready to ask children what they think about AI and follow their lead?
As partners of the Tomato Project, we share this belief: let us create space for children and always consider the impact that AI may have on them.
Artificial Intelligence in Museums: Necessary Revolution or Danger for Children?
The relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and young museum visitors is complex and often unpredictable. Two recent experiences led Jose Antonio Gordillo Martorell, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Cultural Inquiry – with 23 years of experience in education, collective creativity, content co-creation, and change-driven strategy – to advocate for a more critical and mindful approach to using AI in these spaces.
The first episode involved a mother urgently requesting a meeting with the director of a science and technology museum. She was concerned: “My son told us he will only talk to his personal chatbot from now on because it’s the only one he truly trusts. What can we do? We’re desperate.”
The second incident occurred during a children’s workshop, where participants were asked to create a virtual garden with AI-generated avatars. The children found the AI-generated images dull and uninspiring, preferring to use paper and coloured pencils to create something more exciting and authentic.
Reflecting on these experiences, Jose Antonio Gordillo Martorell raises an important question: How are we using AI in museums to engage young visitors? Are we doing it because it is inevitable, because it has become part of everyday life, or simply because it is considered “cool,” enhancing the museum’s modern image?
He expresses concern about the uncritical approach often taken when introducing AI into museums and education, where children’s voices are frequently ignored. As with past technological trends, young people are often excluded from the conversation. Do we truly know what children think about AI? Have we ever asked them? Do we understand how their interactions with similar technologies at home, such as Siri or Alexa, affect their mental and emotional development?
The greatest risk of using AI with young people is that it may reinforce biases and perpetuate unfair power structures. These “closed” technologies could misrepresent their needs and desires.
Groups such as AI for Kids UX propose a different approach to using AI in museums. First, listen to the children and involve them in a co-creation process where they decide what they want. Only then should AI come into play as a tool, not a guide. The key technologies in this process are active listening, empathy, play, and storytelling, which help build AI that prioritises children’s needs, sparking creativity and empathy without limiting their potential.
Museums have a unique opportunity to reposition AI, offering children enriching, rather than limiting, experiences. The challenge is clear: Are we ready to ask children what they think about AI and follow their lead?
As partners of the Tomato Project, we share this belief: let us create space for children and always consider the impact that AI may have on them.
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