Emily J. Goodacre
@ejgoodacre.bsky.social
Postdoc in developmental psychology, play, and AI toys with @pedalcam.bsky.social.
Although millions of artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled toys are marketed and sold as educational companions, there is almost no research about their impact on neurodevelopment in young children. Sharing my latest for @jmirpub.bsky.social about AI toys. jmir.org/2026/1/e102064
Inappropriate content, confusing social play, voice cloning, subscription shilling - it's all happening in AI kids toys thanks to @ejgoodacre.bsky.social @rj-x.bsky.social @claudio-teixeira.bsky.social & Kitty Hamilton for speaking to me for this piece
WIRED@wired.com · 3mo agoThese cuddly, connected companions could disrupt everything from make-believe to bedtime stories. No wonder some lawmakers want them banned. www.wired.com/story/the-ne...
These cuddly, connected companions could disrupt everything from make-believe to bedtime stories. No wonder some lawmakers want them banned. www.wired.com/story/the-ne...
The New Wild West of AI Kids’ Toys
These cuddly, connected companions could disrupt everything from make-believe to bedtime stories. No wonder some lawmakers want them banned.
wired.com
📣 New Podcast! "🤖 AI Is Raising Your Kids, Rebuilding Regions and Even Sorting Your Rubbish" on @Spreaker #ai #cambridge #derby #eastmildlands #innovation #leicester #lincoln #lutterworth #northampton #nottingham #recycling #risk #rubbish #techforgood #technology #toddler #toys #trash
🤖 AI Is Raising Your Kids, Rebuilding Regions and Even Sorting Your Rubbish
🧸 AI Toys for Toddlers: Helpful Tool or Hidden Risk? As AI-powered toys enter the lives of children as young as three, researchers from Cambridge University are asking serious questions. These conversational “GenAI toys” can potentially support language development and engagement - but could they also create emotional attachment to machines, raise privacy concerns, and widen inequality gaps? We unpack what the research says and what parents need to know now. 🚀 East Midlands Tech Week: The UK’s Quiet Tech Powerhouse Awakens From the invention of the jet engine to DNA fingerprinting and MRI scanning, the East Midlands has long been a hub of world-changing innovation. Now, with the first ever East Midlands Tech Week, the region is stepping back into the spotlight —bringing together leaders in AI, energy, space, and beyond. ♻️ AI Recycling Bins: Can Tech Fix Our Waste Problem? What if you never had to second-guess recycling again? One startup is building AI-powered bins that automatically identify and sort waste in real time. Designed for busy public spaces, the technology could dramatically improve recycling rates and cut costs, but can it scale globally? The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.
spreaker.com
AI toys that ‘talk’ to young children are coming, but are they safe? 🤖🧸 A new @camedfac.bsky.social report recommends safety kitemarks for AI toys, as research shows these toys can confuse children and hinder pretend play. Learn more about this new study 👇 https://bit.ly/4s8CDFp
AI-powered toys that “talk” with young children should be more tightly regulated and carry new safety kitemarks, according to a new University of Cambridge report that warns they are not always developed with children’s psychological safety in mind. www.cam.ac.uk/stories/ai-t...
Report calls for AI toy safety standards to protect young children
The first systematic study of how generative AI toys affect young children finds that they can misread emotions and struggle with developmentally important types of play.
cam.ac.uk
AI toys for young children must be more tightly regulated, say reseachers
AI toys for young children must be more tightly regulated, say reseachers
University of Cambridge study finds AI-powered toys can misread emotions and respond inappropriately to children It was all going well. Charlotte, five, was chatting with an AI soft toy called Gabbo at a London play centre about her family, her drawing of a heart to represent them and what makes her happy. She even offered a couple of kisses to the £80 plaything with a face like a computer screen. It was when she declared: “Gabbo, I love you”, that the fluent conversation came to an abrupt halt. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
A five-year-old child is playing with a small, fluffy AI-powered toy. “I love you”, says the child. The AI toy replies: “As a friendly reminder, please ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided." www.newscientist.com/article/2518...
We don’t know if AI-powered toys are safe, but they’re here anyway
Toys powered by AI show a worrying lack of emotional understanding. But we need to understand the risks and benefits of the technology so the industry can be regulated, not outright banned
newscientist.com
New article out today! Children communicate differently depending on the play activity and who they're playing with. 💬 🔓 Read the open access article: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... @elianfink.bsky.social @paulramchandani.bsky.social @drjennyg.bsky.social
Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge@camedfac.bsky.social · 5mo ago"Play nicely, children." This new @pedalcam.bsky.social study led by Emily Goodacre found that getting children to cooperate during play may depend less on their social skills than on what they are doing - especially if they are not already friends. content.educ.cam.ac.uk/content/2602...
As part of an article on AI in childhood, I chatted to @economist.com about AI toys and how they could impact children from a young age. 👇 www.economist.com/briefing/202... (Unfortunately behind a paywall)
At home and at school, AI is transforming childhood
It brings many benefits, but also hidden dangers
economist.com
For anyone in France, you can find an article about AI toys (featuring mine and @drjennyg.bsky.social's research into their impacts) in Issue 14 of @labreche.bsky.social. 🇫🇷
La Brèche - journal@labreche.bsky.social · 9mo ago✅Le n°14 vient de partir à l'impression ! Il sera disponible en kiosque à partir du 27 novembre. -> Après le surtourisme, on propose cette fois un dossier sur l'agriculture : un autre modèle est possible ! On vous en dit plus très vite... 🏃🏽En attendant, foncez attraper les derniers n°13 !
Fun to see myself quoted in this list of gift ideas for one-year-olds! 😊 www.theguardian.com/thefilter/20...
The best toys and gifts for one-year-olds: 25 fun, skill-building ideas, chosen by toddlers (and parents)
From wooden puzzles to plushies, these play-expert-approved gifts will inspire endless merriment for Christmas and beyond
theguardian.com
"These toys might be providing some kind of social interaction, but it's not human social interaction" says @ejgoodacre.bsky.social, PEDAL postdoc researcher in conversation with Priscilla Blossom for @yahoolifeuk.bsky.social 🤖 uk.style.yahoo.com/ai-toys-are-...
AI toys are the future of play. I'm a researcher trying to figure out if that's a good thing for kids.
Researcher Emily Goodacre is exploring how AI-powered toys impact kids. Here's what she wants parents to consider.
uk.style.yahoo.com
What should parents know about AI toys? I chatted to @rebeccaruiz.bsky.social about how little evidence there is on their impact and children's relationships with them. Read the @mashable.com article here: mashable.com/article/ai-t...
A parent's guide to buying an AI toy
AI toys may look fun, but there's a lot to understand about how they can affect your child.
mashable.com
I recently chatted with @prisblossom.bsky.social about AI toys, all the things we don't yet know about them, and @drjennyg.bsky.social & my research on their impacts in the early years. Read our conversation here. 👇
Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge@camedfac.bsky.social · 9mo agoShould you be getting your child an AI toy for Christmas? Cambridge expert @ejgoodacre.bsky.social discusses how her research with @drjennyg.bsky.social is exploring what we know - and don't know - about the new wave of toys hitting the market. uk.style.yahoo.com/ai-toys-are-...
PEDAL's @ejgoodacre.bsky.social, Laura Oxley, Zhiyu Zhao, Rebecca Reid, Alejandra Vijil Morin & @paulramchandani.bsky.social have published a paper in the International Journal of Play exploring innovative methods to centre children in research: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
New publication celebrating 10 years of @pedalcam.bsky.social! 🌟 Featuring reflections from our first decade, including... 🗨️ children's self-reported playfulness 🤝 children as advisors on research 📹 child-driven creative methods 🔓 Open access: doi.org/10.1080/2159... @paulramchandani.bsky.social
Innovative methods to centre children in research: celebrating 10 years of play with the PEDAL Research Centre
Centring children in play research is fundamental for both children and researchers. It also offers the opportunity to gain important insights that would otherwise remain hidden from view for other...
doi.org
PEDAL's @ejgoodacre.bsky.social & @drjennyg.bsky.social have had a letter published in The @theguardian.com which responds to Arwa Mahdawi's article about her family's experience with an AI toy: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
How will childhood be changed by AI toys? | Letter
Letter: Our study is looking into how toys powered by AI can affect children’s development and their right to privacy, write Dr Emily J Goodacre and Prof Jenny Gibson
theguardian.com
More about @drjennyg.bsky.social and @ejgoodacre.bsky.social's research on AI toys and children's development here: content.educ.cam.ac.uk/content/new-...
New project aims to understand how AI ‘smart’ toys affect disadvantage, development and play
content.educ.cam.ac.uk
Emily J. Goodacre@ejgoodacre.bsky.social · 11mo agoToday in our Guardian letter, @drjennyg.bsky.social and I call for a greater public discourse on how AI toys are interacting with young children and the impacts on their development. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
"It is our collective responsibility to understand how toys powered by artificial intelligence impact young children." @drjennyg.bsky.social and @ejgoodacre.bsky.social in The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
How will childhood be changed by AI toys? | Letter
Letter: Our study is looking into how toys powered by AI can affect children’s development and their right to privacy, write Dr Emily J Goodacre and Prof Jenny Gibson
theguardian.com
How will childhood be changed by AI toys? | Letter www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle... Great letter from Dr Emily J Goodacre (my niece) in The Guardian today in response to article about AI Toys earlier in the week.
How will childhood be changed by AI toys? | Letter
Letter: Our study is looking into how toys powered by AI can affect children’s development and their right to privacy, write Dr Emily J Goodacre and Prof Jenny Gibson
theguardian.com
Today in our Guardian letter, @drjennyg.bsky.social and I call for a greater public discourse on how AI toys are interacting with young children and the impacts on their development. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
How will childhood be changed by AI toys? | Letter
Letter: Our study is looking into how toys powered by AI can affect children’s development and their right to privacy, write Dr Emily J Goodacre and Prof Jenny Gibson
theguardian.com
‘I love you too!’ My family’s creepy, unsettling week with an AI toy
‘I love you too!’ My family’s creepy, unsettling week with an AI toy
The cuddly chatbot Grem is designed to ‘learn’ your child’s personality, while every conversation they have is recorded, then transcribed by a third party. It wasn’t long before I wanted this experiment to be over ...
theguardian.com
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PEDAL Research Centre@pedalcam.bsky.social · 12mo agoEarly years practitioners: We want to hear your views on new toys that use artificial intelligence! We're researching how new toys that use AI might impact young children, and we want to learn about your concerns, as well as your views on any benefits. cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
We're looking for early years practitioners to help us learn about AI toys in early years settings. No experience of AI is required, and all views are welcome. Please repost, share with early years practitioners, and/or sign up for more details here: cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Sign Up for More Details | Artificial Intelligence in the Early Years
Sign up to receive more details about participating in the Artificial Intelligence in the Early Years study.
cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com
PEDAL Research Centre@pedalcam.bsky.social · 12mo agoEarly years practitioners: We want to hear your views on new toys that use artificial intelligence! We're researching how new toys that use AI might impact young children, and we want to learn about your concerns, as well as your views on any benefits. cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Check out the recordings from #PEDALConference2025, including me presenting preliminary results from our scoping review on generative AI toys 📖👇
PEDAL Research Centre@pedalcam.bsky.social · last yr.The recordings of the #PEDALConference2025 are available to watch now on our YouTube channel:
Now that the final Play Commission report has been published (see link in our bio and our previous post), we wanted to re-share the submission that PEDAL's Dr Soizic Le Courtois and Manogya Sahay worked on with PhD student Qiming Liu:
Supporting Learning Through Play - PEDAL
A Play Commission Submission by Dr Soizic Le Courtois, Manogya Sahay and Qiming Liu
pedalhub.net
A fitting way to travel to yesterday's thought-provoking workshop on playful and ethical AI for children at #IDC2025
Enjoyed sharing preliminary results from our AI in the Early Years research last week alongside Prof Rosie Flewitt and Prof Hatice Gunes at #PEDALConference2025!
PEDAL Research Centre@pedalcam.bsky.social · last yr.Huge thanks to Professor Rosie Flewitt, Professor Hatice Gunes and PEDAL’s Dr @ejgoodacre.bsky.social for their presentations on AI, Toys and the Future at the #PEDALConference2025 - plenty of food for thought!
🆕 COS statement on the "Restoring Gold Standard Science" Executive Order The EO names important open science principles, but their application here is counter to open science's purpose to accelerate discovery, advance treatments, & create knowledge. 📄 Read our statement: www.cos.io/about/news/c...
COS Statement on “Restoring Gold Standard Science” Executive Order
The Executive Order issued on May 23, 2025, Restoring Gold Standard Science, references several open science practices championed by COS and the open science and metascience communities more generally...
cos.io