068 - Philly Fact Finders with the Free Library of Philadelphia

As generative AI reshapes education and work, the ability to use it is becoming a new dimension of educational opportunity. Students with access to strong schools, enrichment programs, and adult guidance may learn to question AI, verify its claims, and use it to solve problems. Students with fewer opportunities may enter college and the workforce without comparable experience, extending existing educational inequities into AI literacy.
Philly Fact Finders is a Unity-based mystery game designed to help Philadelphia youth build these skills. In partnership with the Free Library of Philadelphia, players will investigate cases, interact with an AI collaborator, gather evidence, identify contradictions, and decide when to trust or verify AI-generated information. After solving cases in collaboration with AI, players will be able to exchange currency for tangible rewards in the Library. The project will examine how gameplay, tangible rewards, and repeated interaction with AI affect participation, persistence, and students’ judgment while creating an adaptable model for AI literacy in public learning spaces.