Oxford Child-Centred AI (Oxford CCAI) Design Lab engages in a series of research activities aimed at designing better AI for children. It is part of Human-Centred Computing research theme at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford.

We collaborate with a range of organisations both in the UK and internationally (including the 5Rights Foundation, Oxford Reuben College, FamStudio, Digital Futures for Children, AIEOU, and many academic departments within and beyond Oxford) to examine the ways that AI impacts children’s living experiences and their digital rights, and how we can design technologies fostering children’s rights and agency, by listening to their voices. Currently OxfordCCAI focuses on the following research themes, see research.

Design for children’s agency

• Define agency for children in the digital context
• Identify children’s sense of agency;
• Investigate how to design and support children’s agency development in the digital context

Define AI ethics principles for children

• Why do we need a child-specific perspective on AI ethics principles?
• Prioritise child-centred evaluations
• Promote cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches

Creating a new paradigm of digital parenting in the AI of age

• What technological supports are needed by parents and children?
• How could a co-learning and collaborative approach be applied for better digital parenting?
• This research is built on our previous project KOALA: Kinds Online Anonymity and Lifelong Autonomy

Investigating age-appropriate AI algorithmic design patterns

• What design practices are applied in current AI systems for children?
• How do children perceive dataficiation in existing recommendation platforms (e.g. YouTube or Tiktok)?
• How can new and ethical AI algorithmic systems be designed, with more transparency, users’ control, and digital autonomy?

In addition to child-centred research, we are passionate of disseminating our research through public and policy engagement work. Some of our recent work include:

• Presenting at the IGF roundtable on “Regulating AI and Emerging Risks to Children’s Rights”
• Publishing policy paper on “What are the possibilities of a good digital society?” for the British Academy
• Producing podcast on digital parenting with ParentZone
• Presenting at the roundtable event with Australian’s Children’s Commissioner

If you would like to know more, email us at oxfordccai at gmail dot com.