Interactive storytelling for children: A case-study of design and development considerations for ethical conversational AI

Conversational Artificial Intelligence (CAI) systems and Intelligent Personal Assistants (IPA), such as Alexa, Cortana, Google Home and Siri are becoming ubiquitous in our lives, including those of children, the implications of which is receiving increased attention, specifically with respect to the effects of these systems on children's cognitive, social and linguistic development. Recent advances address the implications of CAI with respect to privacy, safety, security, and access. However, there is a need to connect and embed the ethical and technical aspects in the design. Using a case-study of a research and development project focused on the use of CAI in storytelling for children, this paper reflects on the social context within a specific case of technology development, as substantiated and supported by argumentation from within the literature. It describes the decision making process behind the recommendations made on this case for their adoption in the creative industries. Further research that engages with developers and stakeholders in the ethics of storytelling through CAI is highlighted as a matter of urgency.