Health experts warn YouTube AI slop aimed at babies will affect what kids think is real

Experts in child development are advising parents that exposing babies to videos or images created by artificial intelligence might affect how they understand the difference between reality and fantasy as they grow up.

AI is now creating videos that are rapidly spreading across social media. You’re likely seeing these short, often unbelievable clips—made with tools like Google’s Nano Banana and OpenAI’s Sora—on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. These videos often show things that couldn’t happen in real life, such as animals performing amazing feats or dramatic, impossible scenarios.

These videos aren’t just misleading older adults. Experts warn that as AI-created content increasingly reaches young children—even babies—they can be influenced by what’s essentially low-quality, artificial content.

A new study by the Pew Research Center reveals that a significant number of babies and toddlers are watching YouTube. In fact, 60% of US parents with children under 2 report that their kids regularly use the app.

I was reading about how much kids are on YouTube, and it’s honestly a lot! Apparently, about a third of parents say their kids watch videos on there every day. And a huge majority – around 70% – of kids with tablets or phones are watching videos on YouTube or the YouTube Kids app. It’s pretty amazing (and maybe a little concerning!) how popular it is with them.

Too much time spent looking at screens, particularly videos created by artificial intelligence, might significantly harm young children and their understanding of reality, according to experts.

AI-generated content can impact kids’ understanding of the world

Fairplay is a group that works to understand how technology impacts kids. Rachel Franz, who directs programs at Fairplay and also teaches young children, recently told Bloomberg that this growing trend could be confusing for them.

She explained that young children are still developing their ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood. If they’re primarily exposed to low-quality AI-generated content during this critical development period, it could negatively affect how they understand the world.

Dr. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician at the University of Michigan Medical School, also cautioned parents about content designed to quickly grab a child’s attention but lacks meaningful substance.

We’re noticing a trend of YouTube videos that appear designed to grab attention rather than tell a story or offer real substance. It’s okay for kids’ videos to be just for fun – they don’t all need to be educational or profound. However, we want parents to know that some content is driven by commercial interests.

In response to worries about AI-generated content, YouTube’s Nicole Bell stated that their systems are designed to limit the spread of low-quality, mass-produced videos targeting children and prevent creators from profiting from them.

YouTube is cracking down on channels that create lots of low-quality videos. Our policies and technology are built to discourage and punish this kind of content, making it a bad way to try and build a business on the platform.

Recent research adds to the growing evidence that constantly watching short videos can negatively impact brain function. A report from the American Psychological Association in November 2025 suggested that frequent exposure to platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels may actually harm the brain.

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2025-12-03 23:19