1. Introduction

Emerging technologies represented by Artificial Intelligence are penetrating into all areas of social life extremely fast, and the education system, as a key area of future civic life, needs to pay attention to the transformational transformation brought about by digitalization [1]. Artificial intelligence technologies, such as intelligent tutoring systems, adaptive learning platforms, and educational robots, are being widely evaluated for use in a variety of ways to improve teaching efficiency, achieve personalized learning, and optimize educational management [2].

However, the design, application and use of AI educational tools are inevitably influenced by specific cultural values, educational philosophies and social expectations. As a special group whose mind, cognition and values are still developing, children are highly to changes in the external environment, especially the technological environmentsensitive. In different cultural contexts, there may be significant differences in the mode of application and effectiveness of AI education. These differences not only affect children's learning efficiency and knowledge acquisition, but also have the potential to deeply shape their future development paths, such as their way of thinking, social skills, and cultural identity. Therefore, understanding and analyzing the differentiated effects of AI on children in different cultural educational environments has become an important topic that has received much attention in the field of education research.

This study focuses on the impact of AI technology on children's development in culturally diverse educational environments. It explores how the advantages of AI can be utilized to mitigate potential cultural biases, thereby promoting cross-cultural understanding and achieving positive educational outcomes. This study contributes to a specific understanding of the complex interactions between "technology-culture-education", especially in the area of child development. In addition, the results of the study can provide valuable recommendations for education policy makers, curriculum designers, AI education product developers, and frontline educators. Ultimately, this study aims to explore how AI technology can be profitably and effectively utilized to create a more equitable, robust, and multicultural educational future that promotes the holistic development of children.

2. Theoretical foundations

2.1. Forms of artificial intelligence in education

Artificial Intelligence has been widely used in the field of education in a variety of forms and with different functions. Common applications include Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS), which can simulate human teachers, provide one-on-one guidance, and adjust the content and key points of teaching according to the students' learning progress and level of understanding [3]. Adaptive Learning Platforms (ALPs) use algorithms to analyze students' learning behaviors, dynamically adjusting learning paths and recommending learning resources to help students achieve personalized learning [2]. Additionally, Automated Assessment and Feedback (AAF) systems can be utilized to automate homework assignments and scoring tests. These AI systems provide instant feedback, reducing the burden on teachers while enhancing the efficiency of the feedback process [4].

Although these applications aim to improve the efficiency of education to promote personalized learning, there are still some ethical issues related to algorithmic bias and private data [5].

2.2. Interaction between culture and education

The content, objectives, methodological assessment and evaluation of education are deeply rooted in a particular cultural soil. For example, collectivist cultures may focus more on learning cooperation and social responsibility, while individualist cultures may focus more on independent thinking and personal achievement [6].

In addition to this, the practice of education will also accomplish the shaping and dissemination of culture, as the younger generation learns about the dominant culture of the society through the curriculum and teaching in schools. Therefore, in the context of globalization, education becomes a field of conflict due to the exchange of different cultures. And children's development does not follow a universal, linear path, but is profoundly influenced by their surrounding cultural environment. Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory emphasizes that children's cognitive development occurs through internalized socio-cultural tools (e.g., language, symbolic systems) in interaction with more experienced members of society (e.g., parents, teachers, peers) [7].

Different cultural environments provide children with different opportunities to learn, shaping their cognitive and problem-solving strategies and even their social interactions and understanding of self and the world. Therefore, it is important to consider the influence and moderating role of culture in children's education, recognizing that technological interventions have different consequences in different cultural groups.

3. Analysis of the current situation of AI educational applications in different cultural contexts

Artificial intelligence in education is not a "one-size-fits-all" technology, and the degree of adoption, focus, and actual shape of its use varies significantly across cultures. Such differences often reflect different societies' understanding and expectations of educational goals, learning styles, and the role of technology.

3.1. Preference for efficiency orientation in East Asian cultural context

In East Asian cultures such as China, Korea, and Japan, education is often given a high social system value, which is closely related to the socio-economic status of individuals and families. The education systems in these regions are often competitive. Influenced by this cultural and institutional background, the application of AI in the education field in East Asia is characterized by an emphasis on efficiency and test-taking. For example, Think big, as one of the major education service giants in South Korea, hopes to enhance the personalization and efficiency of learning through technology. It analyzes children's learning data, accurately identifies weak links to recommend the most appropriate learning content, and dynamically adjusts the content of tutoring according to the children's real-time learning progress, and at the same time, it establishes AI-driven game feedback boards to attract the children's attention, in which the children's learning efficiency and learning process are improved. In this process, the children's learning efficiency and learning time have been improved, because in South Korea's East Asian culture-oriented cultural education system, education from early childhood to adults presents its important position, and in the children's stage due to the children's attention is more difficult to concentrate for a long time, the use of its AI tools can solve this problem to a certain extent, so by virtue of its long-term accumulation of education, a large user base and sustained investment in technology, the TUPE has been able to provide the best learning content and dynamically adjust the tutoring content according to the children's real-time learning progress. Therefore, with its long history of education, large user base, and continuous investment in technology, Think Big has assumed an important position in the fierce Korean education technology market. However, some studies indicate that while such applications can enhance students' academic performance in the short term, they tend to be overly test-oriented. This focus diminishes students' ability to think critically and reduces the time available for learning outside the classroom [8].

3.2. Focus on individualization and self-directed exploration in European and American cultural contexts

AI technology can enable a truly differentiated learning process by collecting student learning data to meet the needs of different students and adapt to different learning styles, as well as providing a more diverse selection of learning resources and activities to guide students in personalized explorations at their own pace, such as MATHia, an intelligent tutoring system that provides personalized tutoring support to children ages 6 to 12 to help them with final exams. For example, MATHia is a smart tutoring system that provides personalized tutoring support to children between the ages of 6 and 12 to help them prepare for their final exams. It analyzes student data and uses it to generate personalized feedback to the child, and combines the context of some math problems with student-provided interests, such as sports, music, and games. Learning perception. Compared with traditional teaching methods, this AI-driven adaptive learning also significantly improves students' mathematical learning because it better meets students' individualized learning needs and encourages students to explore on their own, and this model reflects the educational concepts of European and American cultures that emphasize individualized differences in teaching and guiding students to learn on their own [9]. However, as mentioned in this paper, over-reliance on personalized algorithms may also lead to students being exposed to homogenized information and perspectives, which in turn reduces their exposure to cultural diversity.

3.3. Initial explorations in the global south and other cultural contexts

In addition to the major cultural circles of East Asia and Europe and the United States, countries in the global South and other regions with unique cultural traditions each present their own characteristics and challenges in the application of AI education. For example, cultural heritage and localization needs are difficult to meet, and the direct introduction of AI education products that are customary in foreign countries may suffer from cultural disconnect. How to develop AI tools that meet local cultural backgrounds, languages and educational needs has become an important issue for these regions. Localized localization and algorithms may lead to ineffective application of technology or even exacerbate marginal culture. For example, in many parts of Africa, while the growing penetration of mobile technology opens up possibilities for AI educational applications, developing AI tools (such as chatbots or personalized learning systems) that can effectively process and understand multiple local languages remains a significant technical and resource challenge. A study on educational technology in sub-Saharan Africa pointed out that the lack of local language support and content aligned with local curricula and cultural contexts is a major barrier limiting the widespread acceptance and effective use of even simple educational applications [10]. Therefore, determining how to invest resources in developing truly "localized" AI algorithms and content repositories that recognize and respond to the unique cultural contexts and learning needs of local students, while also preventing technology applications from exacerbating cultural marginalization, is a critical issue that must be addressed in these regions.

4. Challenges and strategies

The use of artificial intelligence technologies in culturally diverse educational environments is impacting children's cognitive, social-emotional, and cultural identities, as well as the educational opportunities available to them, in cutting-edge ways. This impact is complex and multidimensional, presenting new opportunities for growth as well as challenges that are difficult to ignore.

4.1. Opportunities and challenges

First of all, AI can provide learning resources and experiences that are difficult to reach in traditional education. This includes immersive learning through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), as well as interactive exploration with artificial intelligence. These approaches can stimulate children's curiosity and expand their cognitive boundaries [11]. However, there can also be problems such as children's over-reliance on answers and solutions provided by AI and lack of motivation to think independently and question information. Secondly, the content recommended by algorithms may be biased or inaccurate, and children can be easily misled if they lack the ability to critically assess the source and content of information. However, at the level of cross-cultural communication AI can be a powerful tool to present children with rich and diverse cultural information (e.g., multilingual learning resources, art, history, stories from different cultures, etc.), breaking down geographic constraints and promoting their awareness and understanding of the world's diverse cultures. Artificial intelligence translation technology can also alleviate the language barrier of cross-cultural communication to a certain extent. However, prejudice and stereotyping of cultural content need to be carefully designed and regulated for children, otherwise AI educational content may unintentionally spread cultural stereotypes, or even reinforce cultural hegemony, posing a challenge to the cultural identity of non-dominant cultural backgrounds [12].

4.2. Strategies for using AI to promote intercultural communication

In the face of the complex impact of AI on children in different cultural educational environments, a more proactive strategy is necessary. First, creating innovative cross-cultural interaction scenarios can be beneficial. Second, assisting children in understanding the basic principles of AI will empower them to become users of AI rather than mere recipients. Additionally, providing continuous professional training for teachers is essential to enhance their ability to guide children's learning effectively. Furthermore, establishing cross-cultural exchanges and cooperation can facilitate the sharing of experiences in AI education across different cultures. A shared resource library can also be created to offer ideas on the design and use of AI tools, fostering collective learning and improvement.

By effectively implementing these strategies, it is possible to not only enhance educational efficiency but also enrich children's multicultural learning experiences. This approach will help harness the power of AI to cultivate children's cross-cultural skills, ultimately contributing to the development of a more understanding, diverse, and peace-oriented future world.

5. Conclusion

This study analyzes the differential impact of artificial intelligence on children's development in different cultural educational environments through a review of relevant academic literature during the period 2020-2025. It was found that AI educational applications present different cultural differences, with East Asian cultures favoring efficiency orientation and possibly neglecting innovative thinking, while European and American cultures focus on autonomous exploration but may also cause the problem of convergence of learning paths, while in other cultural contexts such as Africa and other regions face the challenges of technology and localization. In addition to this, the impact of AI on children's development is twofold: it opens up new opportunities and widens the boundaries of children's cognition. At the same time, however, there are potential risks of stifling creativity, critical thinking, reducing interpersonal interactions, spreading cultural biases and stereotypes, and emphasizing educational inequities. Therefore, the use of AI to cross-promote cultural education requires a systematic strategy to realize the positive potential of AI, with comprehensive strategies from the children's teachers as well as from the technological level.

Yet this study still suffers from the following limitations. First, existing research focuses more on East Asia, Europe and the United States, and there is a relative lack of research on AI educational practices and impacts in the Global South and other cultural regions, making the breadth and depth of cross-cultural comparisons somewhat compromised. Second, the literature review relies mainly on borrowed information and lacks direct and relevant data to test the specific, long-term causal impact of AI on children's development in different cultural contexts.

Although AI still faces many challenges in the context of globalization, with the updating of technology and the improvement of basic ethics and regulations, AI can be used in a more rational way and used to break through the limitations of geographic resources to achieve the sharing of high-quality resources, thereby promoting educational equity.