From crayon to code: visual representation in the age of generative artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) permeates young children's everyday lives. The Australian Curriculum suggests that AI systems seek to replicate aspects of human problem-solving and task completion, and highlights the need to prepare children to navigate AI responsibly and safely. This article examines how young children aged four to eight engaged with Generative AI (i.e. Adobe Firefly) to visually represent their ideas. Using the children's rights approach, children actively participated in the research, suggesting prompts, reflecting on the outputs generated and iteratively refining them until achieving their desired outcome. We analysed children's conversations during their participation, prompts and outcomes through a sociological lens and UNESCO's AI competency framework for students. Children's experiences highlighted their interest in AI, and awareness of its opportunities, limitations and risks. Providing young children opportunities to safely engage with AI systems supports their AI literacy and critical thinking.