Parenting is exhausting. Stress levels can spike, leisure time is restricted, and it can take up one’s whole life. Because of this, many parents have hired personal and professional nannies to assist them. While this system is beneficial for both parties and allows the parents to relax, there has been a recent invention of nannies that may be a bit unsettling. What started off as a little more screentime and increased use of technology has now become a whole new level of advancement: The AI Nanny. 

This type of nanny does everything a regular nanny does. These artificially intelligent helpers will care for the child and all of their needs. Their programming also allows them to give babies and toddlers the “back-and-forth stimulation” they need. Until now, experts weren’t able to create a “being” that was able to provide the necessary brain-building interactions that children would need for their future. These human interactions would naturally come from parents, but they wanted to figure out a way to make AI also create the same impact. They have finally achieved this through long processes of trials and errors. 

Overall, different parts of society are taking this new invention well. They appreciate the assistance and more time on their hands. Parents are able to work again without having to stay home. Some call it the new “washing machine” as they won’t have to spend time on time-consuming actions. 

Despite this extra helping hand, some are skeptical of being so reliant on technology. Some are not sure about substituting “automatic alternatives” for their child. These individuals fear that exposing their children to responsive AI may alter their brains and natural instincts. There is so much humanity does not know about AI and so much more to learn about them; therefore, bringing them too close to the youth seems too far for some individuals. Kaylyn Kim, a rising senior at Sunny Hills High School, is “concerned that AI, especially the important task of being a nanny, will experience some sort of downfall.” This is a justified concern as children’s actions can be very unexpected and the AI nanny may not be programmed well enough to handle their surprises. No matter how many codes and revisions of AI, humans’ actions are just too unpredictable. Correspondingly, Sabrina, a high school senior, believes that one day, “when AI develops even further, they [may take] over society completely; [therefore, there should be] boundaries.” Although made by humans, AI can improve their skills and bypass their original potential which can cause harm and chaos. There definitely should be boundaries made since it is such a useful tool that should be utilized and not fully discarded.  

In the final analysis, both sides have their own valid reasons and concerns about AI nannies and AI in general. One side is that an extra hand cannot hurt and benefit for the better while the other side has distrust for technological advancements.