Common Sense Media has launched the Youth AI Safety Institute, an independent research and testing organization focused on ensuring that AI products used by children and teens are safe and developmentally appropriate. The initiative comes as AI use among young people grows rapidly, with many teenagers regularly using AI companions and homework tools. The Institute will create safety standards, develop open-source evaluation tools for AI companies, independently test AI products, and publicly share results to increase transparency and accountability. Its model is similar to independent vehicle crash testing: evaluating products against clear safety benchmarks and helping families understand which tools are safer.

Read the press announcement here.