IMPLICATIONS OF USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES TO ENHANCE A CHILD'S SOCIAL SKILLS

Social skills are critical for a child’s development as they are fundamental for building relationships and succeeding academically and professionally. In comparison to the academic spheres of reading, language, and mathematics, these skills are just as valuable. However, children, particularly those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and social communication disorders, struggle with appropriate social behavior. With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), such as natural language processing and computer vision, there are new ways to enhance social interactions for children. AI technologies can enable children to receive feedback in real time, engage them with social scenarios, and encourage social play through developmentally appropriate methods. There are, however, ethical, educational, and psychological concerns, such as data privacy, the implications of AI on child development, and the nature of interaction between machines and children. My goal in this study is to analyze how AI can be effectively utilized for the promotion of social skills in childhood, current applications and interventions, and point out gaps for future research. This research aims to draw attention not only to the existing models but also to the innovative approaches in order to highlight the potential of AI in transforming children’s development when used responsibly.