Educational apps always seem impressive at first. Parents see the bright screens, the cheerful voices, and the promises about faster learning. It feels like these apps should help kids pick up letters ...

Amanda Smith is a freelance journalist and writer. She reports on culture, society, human interest and technology. Her stories hold a mirror to society, reflecting both its malaise and its beauty.

Splat is one of several experiments that uses generative AI to help inspire kids’ creativity and imagination in new ways. Another, Stickerbox, offers printed AI-generated stickers for coloring, while ...