Ministry of Education: Commercial AI Unsuitable for Children Under 13, Recommends Educational AI
The Taiwan Ministry of Education warns that commercial AI poses risks for children under 13, recommending the use of the 'e-Du' educational AI tool which employs Socratic questioning.
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- 📰 Published: May 22, 2026 at 15:17
- 🔍 Collected: May 22, 2026 at 15:31 (14 min after Published)
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Central News Agency, Chen Chih-chung, Taipei, May 22. Commercial AI tools inevitably contain content unsuitable for children and adolescents, as well as misleading information. UNESCO has previously recommended caution for children under 13. The Ministry of Education stated today that it has developed an educational AI suitable for primary and secondary school students and will continue to improve it.
With the rapid development of generative AI, UNESCO released the 'Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research' in 2023, recommending an age limit of 13 for AI tools. This is because most AI tools are designed for adults and may pose significant risks to children, including exposure to inappropriate content, misinformation, manipulation, and privacy leaks.
At the 'AI Talent Ark Project' press conference held by the Ministry of Education today, Deputy Minister Liu Kuo-wei and Chief Secretary Lin Po-chiao both mentioned that it is inappropriate for children under 13 to directly use commercial AI tools. The Ministry has developed an educational AI, 'e-Du,' a learning partner on the 'In-Cai' platform, for teachers and students. Future funding will be allocated to improve and expand its content.
Lin Po-chiao explained to reporters after the conference that 'e-Du' is equipped with strict ethical guardrails to prevent students from accessing inappropriate content. Another major feature is the introduction of pedagogical methods; when students ask questions, 'e-Du' does not provide direct answers but uses Socratic questioning to guide students to think and solve problems themselves.
Kuo Po-chen, head of the AI Talent Ark Project and President of National Taichung University of Education, noted that an OECD report indicates that while students using commercial AI tools may see improved performance, it can lead to dependency and 'outsourcing of learning.' Once the AI is unavailable, performance may decline.
Kuo pointed out that if students use educational AI, OECD research shows that not only is their performance better than those using general AI tools, but they can also maintain performance levels comparable to traditional teaching methods even when AI is unavailable.
According to the introduction of 'e-Du' on the In-Cai platform, this educational AI incorporates Socratic questioning and dynamic assessment. When students ask questions, it provides examples and guides concepts, using hints, explicit instructions, and detailed steps to help students build learning scaffolds. It also provides positive feedback and extended learning content when students answer correctly.
Taking essay writing as an example, when a student asks to write an essay, 'e-Du' does not generate the text directly but encourages the student to express their thoughts through questioning, providing detailed guidance based on the student's feedback.
With the rapid development of generative AI, UNESCO released the 'Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research' in 2023, recommending an age limit of 13 for AI tools. This is because most AI tools are designed for adults and may pose significant risks to children, including exposure to inappropriate content, misinformation, manipulation, and privacy leaks.
At the 'AI Talent Ark Project' press conference held by the Ministry of Education today, Deputy Minister Liu Kuo-wei and Chief Secretary Lin Po-chiao both mentioned that it is inappropriate for children under 13 to directly use commercial AI tools. The Ministry has developed an educational AI, 'e-Du,' a learning partner on the 'In-Cai' platform, for teachers and students. Future funding will be allocated to improve and expand its content.
Lin Po-chiao explained to reporters after the conference that 'e-Du' is equipped with strict ethical guardrails to prevent students from accessing inappropriate content. Another major feature is the introduction of pedagogical methods; when students ask questions, 'e-Du' does not provide direct answers but uses Socratic questioning to guide students to think and solve problems themselves.
Kuo Po-chen, head of the AI Talent Ark Project and President of National Taichung University of Education, noted that an OECD report indicates that while students using commercial AI tools may see improved performance, it can lead to dependency and 'outsourcing of learning.' Once the AI is unavailable, performance may decline.
Kuo pointed out that if students use educational AI, OECD research shows that not only is their performance better than those using general AI tools, but they can also maintain performance levels comparable to traditional teaching methods even when AI is unavailable.
According to the introduction of 'e-Du' on the In-Cai platform, this educational AI incorporates Socratic questioning and dynamic assessment. When students ask questions, it provides examples and guides concepts, using hints, explicit instructions, and detailed steps to help students build learning scaffolds. It also provides positive feedback and extended learning content when students answer correctly.
Taking essay writing as an example, when a student asks to write an essay, 'e-Du' does not generate the text directly but encourages the student to express their thoughts through questioning, providing detailed guidance based on the student's feedback.
FAQ
Are there specific AI tools recommended for students in Taiwan?
Yes, the Ministry of Education recommends the 'e-Du' AI tool, which is integrated into the 'Cool English/In-Cai' platform.