As content for infants and toddlers has exploded on YouTube, creators using artificial intelligence (AI) to mass-produce ultra-low-cost, high-profit videos are surging. Experts warn that babies and toddlers 1 to 3 years old who repeatedly encounter AI videos could see slowed brain development and a decline in their ability to perceive reality.
On the 3rd (local time), Bloomberg said creators are rapidly increasing on YouTube who make toddler videos at rock-bottom cost with AI to generate revenue. They typically write nursery rhyme lyrics first with ChatGPT and then feed them into an AI-based video production tool to create videos. YouTuber Monique Hinton, who introduces AI video production methods, said "5% creative labor is enough," adding, "With this method, you can make hundreds of dollars a day."
What enables the spread of mass-produced AI animation is the surge of infant and toddler YouTube viewers. According to the Pew Research Center, the fastest growth in YouTube viewing time over the past five years was among children under 2, with more than 60% of U.S. parents with children under age 2 saying "their kids watch YouTube." Children's group Fairplay also released findings this year that "70% of infants who use screens are using YouTube or YouTube Kids."
The problem is that YouTube Kids is officially designed for ages 2 to 12, yet viewers under 2 are surging, and cases are increasing in which they use the adult YouTube platform. After the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) banned personalized ads within YouTube Kids in 2019, creators moved en masse to the adult platform, where ad rates are higher. As AI-driven production methods spread, creators targeting toddlers appear to be racing to churn out mass-produced videos.
Experts warn that low-quality, high-stimulation videos can pose a serious threat to infant and toddler development. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), 90% of the human brain forms before age 5, and for children under 2, "very limited" media use is recommended. But in the case of AI-made content, videos are often produced longer than the recommended viewing time to generate revenue.
Some also argue that an algorithm-based viewing environment is more harmful than the traditional TV-centered environment. YouTube says ▲ low-quality content is limited in exposure by algorithms and protection policies, ▲ mass-produced, repetitive videos are restricted, and ▲ children's videos undergo stricter review. Still, within the platform, production tips are widely shared such as "choose the most stimulating, brightest image for the thumbnail" and "add copy that drives clicks."
Rachel Franz, director at Fairplay, said "Humans learn to distinguish reality from fiction in infancy and toddlerhood," adding, "If most of the content they consume is AI-made 'slop' (low-quality content), they could form distorted values."
Parents of infants and toddlers are voicing concerns as well. Stephanie Schneider, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, said "Even when I look for educational content, I worry some weird AI-made video will pop up." Another parent, Judah Abraham, said "It's hard to trust how YouTube recommends content," while acknowledging, "Given the realities of parenting, it's not easy to cut screen time."