Aug 2, 2023

PBS Kids is announcing a new series - Lyla In The Loop, which will feature AI-assisted conversations and interactive episodes.

PBS Kids has announced Lyla in the Loop, a new interactive animated series that incorporates AI-assisted conversations with its protagonists. According to the broadcaster, AI will not only appear in the production of the show, but also about the ethical use of this technology will be covered in one of the episodes of the series 1.

This series is intended for children aged 4-8 years and will debut on PBS Kids in 2024/2/5.

How does the Show Use AI - Show producers create interactive episodes that integrate AI-assisted conversations with Lyla. During these episodes, Lyla asks the viewer questions, and the program uses responsive AI technology to understand what the viewer says and respond accordingly. The specific technology used to collect answers or create answers was not specified in today's release. The episode will then be studied to assess the child's learning and engagement before being released to the audience sometime afterwards.

And how the series is trying to address the "ethical use" of AI - according to the PBS Kids release, the show will help Lyla "navigate the ethics of her sister creating art projects."..It will feature a story that introduces age-appropriate examples of current questions surrounding the use of real-world AI tools.

Who is making the show - Lyla In The Loop was created and showrun and executive were produced by dave Peth. Emmy-winning Studio Pipeline Studio (Elinor Wonders Why, Alma's Way) animates the show. Fracaswell Hyman is Executive Producer and head writer of Monique D. Hall as story editor, Hui Tran as director, Laurie Rabin as director, Trina Sanyal as associate producer, Jun Chung as script coordinator, and Nneka Bolden as digital producer.

Technical Support: Shaw will consult with several external advisors including Ammon Milner, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computing and Innovation at Orin College of Engineering; Nermeen Dashoush, Ph.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Education, Boston University; Yenda Prado, Ph.D., Educational Researcher, University of California, Irvine ;V. Scott Solberg, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Counseling and Applied Human Development, Boston University; and Cosette a strong, powerful consulting group.

Synopsis: "Lyla in the Loop follows a dynamic 7-year-old girl, Lyla, who lives in a big city with a host of relevant and quirky characters within her community, using intimate family, fantastic blue sidekick Stu, and creative, strategic problem-solving and critical thinking skills to address everyday problems together. The new series will debut in both English and Spanish."

What are they saying - Series creator, executive producer and showrunner Peth said in the release:

Children are natural creative problem solvers, experimenting and investigating the world around them with fun curiosity. Lyla in the Loop celebrates and encourages children and adults to recognize those innate abilities in life and see them as powerful tools to help others, express themselves and solve all kinds of problems in everyday life.

Executive producer and head writer Fracaswell Hyman points out that

Finding stories and issues that our audiences can relate to is more likely to absorb and retain the curriculum when Lyla Loops' relevant world audience becomes able to connect and identify with the characters. You can use the following methods: ******** True Ring Working with a diverse group of writers who share genuine stories and interrelationships is where we find inspiration, humor, and hearty moments that may inspire new ways of seeing ourselves and our friends.