Designing Transformational Games to Support Socio-ethical Reasoning about Generative AI

2026-04-02

AI Summary

This study addresses the need to enhance adolescents’ critical understanding of the ethical limitations and societal implications of generative artificial intelligence. To this end, we designed two transformative games—Diversity Duel and Secret Agent—that uniquely integrate social reasoning and constrained creative mechanics into generative AI ethics education. By incorporating peer review and hands-on prompt engineering activities, the games guide students to identify biases in AI outputs, connect these biases to real-world social inequities, and reflect on how prompt design shapes AI behavior. Findings indicate that this approach significantly improves adolescents’ critical AI literacy, offering an innovative, game-based pathway for teaching AI ethics.

Abstract

There is an increasing need for young people to become critically AI literate, understanding not only how AI works but also its limitations and ethical nuances. Yet, designing learning experiences that make such complex, serious topics engaging remains a challenge. This paper explores transformational games as a promising approach for supporting youth learning about generative AI (GenAI) and ethics. We designed and implemented two games, Diversity Duel and Secret Agent, that integrate GenAI tools with gameplay elements. This work investigates how the games' elements: (1) peer evaluation, (2) constraint-based creativity, and (3) social deduction supported socio-ethical reasoning about GenAI. Participants recognized and debated bias in GenAI outputs, connected these patterns to real-world inequities, and developed nuanced understandings of bias. Participants further came to see how prompt design shapes AI behavior. Our findings suggest that group-based games with these elements can support fostering critical AI literacy.

Problem

• generative AI
• socio-ethical reasoning
• critical AI literacy
• bias
• youth education

Innovation

• transformational games
• generative AI
• socio-ethical reasoning
• critical AI literacy
• bias in AI