New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) Digital penetration in India is rising, and children are increasingly exposed to AI-driven platforms, Principal Scientific Advisor Ajay Kumar Sood said on Monday, underlining the
need for a safe, inclusive, and empowering framework tailored for the development of young minds.
Sood noted that AI systems are now shaping the learning pattern, information access, and behavioural responses, especially in children, and emphasised that more evidence is needed with new tools to understand the impact on children's overall development over time, according to a release.
"We still don't know the long-term effects of growing up with AI companions, including personalised learning apps and algorithm-based feeds. More evidence is needed with new tools to understand the impact it has on a child's overall development over time," he noted.
Addressing a session on 'AI and Children: Turning Principles into Practice for Safe, Inclusive and Empowering AI', organised by Ficci, jointly with UNICEF, at the AI Impact Summit 2026, Sood said digital penetration in India is increasing, and children are increasingly exposed to Artificial Intelligence-driven platforms.
"It therefore underscores the need for a safe, inclusive and empowering framework tailored for their development," he asserted.
Sood further said that AI systems are now shaping the learning pattern, information access and behavioural responses.
"More evidence is needed with new tools to understand the impact it has on a child's overall development over time," he noted.
He further said that often AI is referred to as a double-edged sword, and hence the governance objective should be to sharpen the edge of opportunities while blunting the edge of risk.
AI can also help in strengthening societal inclusion by improving accessibility for all children.
Sood also cautioned against over-reliance on AI tools, as it weakens critical thinking and independent problem-solving techniques.
Highlighting the government initiatives on AI governance, he said India has taken a series of initiatives, including the India AI Mission, AI Governance framework and the recent release of a whitepaper on Strengthening AI Safety using Techno-Legal framework.
S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT, said that the 'AI Impact Summit' is organised keeping the next generation in mind.
He further stated that AI should not be viewed with fear, but with the understanding that it can bring about a change in children's future.
"We need to think of a governance mechanism that guards our children and the nation from any ill effects that may be there. While being careful, we should ensure that the children get as many opportunities as possible to use the benefits of AI to shape their lives and the future of our world," Krishnan added. PTI MBI BAL
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