emirates7 - The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE (C4IR UAE), a collaboration between Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) and World Economic Forum (WEF), has launched the second Smart Toys Competition.

The competition aims to promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in smart toys to boost children’s learning, critical thinking, social engagement and creativity. It supports the development of smart toys that help children overcome challenges through creative and entertaining AI-based content and promotes toys that adhere to ethical standards. By promoting innovative toys that adhere to ethical guidelines that protect children, alongside their data and privacy, C4IR UAE seeks to position Dubai as a leading child-friendly city.

The competition will award seven winners across seven different categories, all open to local and global start-ups, as well as toy developers. The competition seeks toys in categories such as "Creative Play", "Learn-to-Code", "Robotics", "Smart Companion", "Smart Speakers for Kids" and the "Most Innovative Take on AI for Kids".

The winners will be announced on World Children’s Day, celebrated on 20th November each year, during a special ceremony at the Museum of the Future. Beyond the honour of winning this award, companies will also receive a "website badge", which indicates that the toy won the Smart Toy Award in a specific category in 2022. In addition, winners will have additional opportunities to engage with the WEF on future initiatives related to their toys and AI governance, and the opportunity to display their toy at the Museum of the Future in Dubai.

"The Smart Toys Competition reflects Dubai's belief in fostering global partnerships to develop innovative solutions for key sectors, including education. These partnerships leverage Dubai's crucial position as a global innovation hub to continue to test new technologies as effective tools for growth and development while also ensuring that the right guidelines for regulation and ethics are implemented along the way. Since we believe in the potential of AI, even in sectors such as education, we also need to ensure that we work with key partners in the field to harness this potential in a responsible manner, without curbing innovation," said Mariam Al Muhairi, Head of C4IR UAE.

"We are honoured to partner with the World Economic Forum to host 2nd edition of Smart Toys competition following the previous edition’s success and collaboration with local and global partners," she added.

Kay Firth-Butterfield, Head of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum said, "We are delighted to partner with C4IR UAE to a unique way of protecting and empowering children. This sets an appropriately high bar for innovative uses of AI with kids across the world enhancing their development; and affirming fundamental values of accessibility, autonomy, and inclusivity for toys children play with and learn."

A jury comprising experts from the public and private sector, including NGOs, will evaluate the entries based on the WEF’s collaborative report "Artificial Intelligence for Children Toolkit", which includes a set of principles governing AI, called the FIRST principles (fairness, inclusiveness, responsibility, safety and transparency).

Submitted applications and toys will undergo a series of assessments to ensure that each toy provides clear value to the child and meets the competition’s standards and principles. Companies looking to participate in the competition have until 31st August, 2022, to submit their projects and ideas via Dubai Future website.