# Z is for Zero-Shot Learning - ABCs of AI (Elementary School+)

An episode of [AI for Kids](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1745917083), 18 Nov 2025, 6:11.

Audio: https://pdcn.co/e/www.buzzsprout.com/2345747/episodes/18203019-z-is-for-zero-shot-learning-abcs-of-ai-elementary-school.mp3

Send us Fan Mail Hey, hey! You made it to the end of our special ABCs of AI series. In this final episode of the ABCs of AI, we land on the letter Z for Zero-Shot Learning, a fancy AI term that we break down so it makes sense for kids and their grown ups. We talk about how AI can make smart guesses about things it has never “seen” before, why that can be powerful, and why it can also be risky if the data behind it is biased or unfair. Kids will hear a clear reminder that they are the real thinkers in the room and that AI still needs humans in the loop to check, correct, and question what it says. You’ll also learn a screen free game you can try at home, in class, or after-school: • Guess That Thing – a no-tech describing and guessing game that helps kids experience zero shot learning using only clues, imagination, and everyday objects. • A fun bonus round with made up creatures like “rainbow sloths” and “flying pancake robots” to stretch those creative muscles. If your family has enjoyed learning the ABCs of AI with us, you do not have to stop here. Our full ABCs of AI Activity Deck is live on Kickstarter, packed with 130 screen free activities that help kids and their grown ups explore real AI concepts through games, stories, challenges, audio, and hands on fun. You can: • Get a deck for your family • Donate one to a school or library • Grab an ABCs of AI poster 👉 Kickstarter 👉 Learn more: https://aidigicards.com/ Have an idea for the next series or a kid who is learning about AI at home or at school and wants to be on the show? Have their grown up email me at contact@aidigitales.com. Support the show Hey parents and teachers, if you want to stay on top of the AI news shaping your kids’ world, subscribe to our weekly AI for Kids Weekly newsletter: https://aiforkidsweekly.beehiiv.com/ Help us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids, parents, teachers, and families. Gift or get the ABCs of AI Activity Deck to introduce your kids 5-9 to AI literacy. Like our content? patreon.com/AiDigiTales Get or gift the book “AI… Meets… AI” Social Media & Contact: • Website: www.aidigitales.com • Email: contact@aidigitales.com • Follow Us: Instagram • Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets Listen, rate, and subscribe! • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Music • Spotify • ...

## Chapters

- 0:59 Welcome And Series Finale
- 1:32 Z Is For Zero‑Shot Learning
- 2:15 Power And Risks Of Smart Guesses
- 3:57 Screen‑Free Game: Guess That Thing
- 5:00 ABCs Of AI Deck On Kickstarter
- 5:41 Gratitude, Next Series, And Subscribe

## Transcript

[0:30] Amber Ivey (AI): Welcome to the AI for Kids Podcast, the podcast for moms, aunties, and teachers who want the kids they love to understand AI without more screen time.
[0:40] Amber Ivey (AI): We keep it simple, safe, and fun.
[0:42] Amber Ivey (AI): No tech degree required.
[0:44] Amber Ivey (AI): Each episode breaks down AI ideas and includes activities to help kids use AI in ways that keep them curious and creative.
[0:53] Amber Ivey (AI): No pressure, no overwhelm, no extra screens.
[0:56] Amber Ivey (AI): Just clear, engaging learning you can feel good about.
[0:59] Amber Ivey (AI): Let's get started.
[1:00] Amber Ivey (AI): Hey, hey, welcome back to AI for Kids Podcast.
[1:03] Amber Ivey (AI): I'm Amber Ivy or AI, and you've made it all the way through to the end of our special series, The ABCs of AI.
[1:10] Amber Ivey (AI): We've talked through algorithms, jumped into neural networks, peeked into vision and voice.
[1:16] Amber Ivey (AI): And now here we are at our final letter Z.
[1:19] Amber Ivey (AI): I'm a little sad, but it has been such an amazing journey.
[1:22] Amber Ivey (AI): And if you've been learning along with your family, teachers, or classmates, I just want to say, man, you rock.
[1:28] Amber Ivey (AI): Before we jump in, if you or someone you know wants to be on the podcast to share how you're learning about AI, maybe at school, maybe at home, send me a note with your parents at contact ataidigitels.com.
[1:40] Amber Ivey (AI): I'd love to hear from you.
[1:41] Amber Ivey (AI): Alright, let's wrap this up in style.
[1:44] Amber Ivey (AI): Zeke is for zero shot learning.
[1:47] Amber Ivey (AI): So what in the world is zero shot learning?
[1:50] Amber Ivey (AI): Okay, let's say I've never seen a koala bear before.
[1:54] Amber Ivey (AI): Not a single picture of what it looks like.
[1:57] Amber Ivey (AI): But someone tells me it's gray, fuzzy, kind of like a teddy bear, eats leaves, and lives in trees in Australia.
[2:05] Amber Ivey (AI): Later I see an animal that matches that description.
[2:09] Amber Ivey (AI): I say, hey, that must be a koala.
[2:12] Amber Ivey (AI): That's zero shot learning.
[2:14] Amber Ivey (AI): In AI, zero shot learning is when a computer or robot can make a smart guess about something it's never seen before.
[2:22] Amber Ivey (AI): It's just based on what it's been told or what it already knows.
[2:26] Amber Ivey (AI): Now imagine asking an AI to tell a story about a moon giraffe in space pajamas.
[2:32] Amber Ivey (AI): Even if you've never seen one, it might use clues to guess what that could look like or how it might behave.
[2:39] Amber Ivey (AI): It uses logic and patterns, not practice or examples, because remember, it doesn't have it and doesn't know.
[2:46] Amber Ivey (AI): That's pretty cool, but also a little risky.
[2:49] Amber Ivey (AI): So there are some dangers to watch out for.
[2:52] Amber Ivey (AI): With zero shot learning, it can be super powerful, but it's not perfect as we always talk about.
[2:58] Amber Ivey (AI): If an AI has bad training data or biases in what it reads or things that are not true or slanted in one direction or another, it might make wrong or unfair guesses, especially about people.
[3:12] Amber Ivey (AI): That's why it's so important that we keep humans in the loop.
[3:16] Amber Ivey (AI): That means real people checking, correcting, and teaching the AI.
[3:19] Amber Ivey (AI): So if an AI says something that feels wrong or unfair, trust your gut and talk to a grown-up.
[3:25] Amber Ivey (AI): AI is smart, but you are the real thinker in the room.
[3:28] Amber Ivey (AI): Do you want an activity or game to try at home?
[3:31] Amber Ivey (AI): Let's try guess that thing.
[3:33] Amber Ivey (AI): This game explores zero shot learning without any screens.
[3:37] Amber Ivey (AI): Here's how it works.
[3:38] Amber Ivey (AI): So what do you need?
[3:39] Amber Ivey (AI): One person to describe, one person to guess, and then a bowl of random household objects or animal action cards, no peeking.
[3:49] Amber Ivey (AI): How do you play this game?
[3:50] Amber Ivey (AI): The describer picks something from the bowl and explains it without saying its name.
[3:56] Amber Ivey (AI): Use clues like it's round, you throw it and it bounces, or it has four legs, it purrs and likes milk.
[4:04] Amber Ivey (AI): The guesser tries to figure out what it is, even if they've never seen or touched it before.
[4:09] Amber Ivey (AI): That's exactly what zero shot learning looks like.
[4:13] Amber Ivey (AI): So, bonus round, make up new made-up creatures.
[4:16] Amber Ivey (AI): Describe something imaginary like a rainbow sloth or a flying pancake robot and see if the other person can guess what you're thinking of.
[4:25] Amber Ivey (AI): And if you want more of this, feel free to grab our deck.
[4:28] Amber Ivey (AI): If you've had fun learning the ABCs of AI, don't stop here.
[4:32] Amber Ivey (AI): Our full ABCs of AI activity deck is live on Kickstarter and is packed with 130 screen-free activities that help kids and their grown-ups explore how AI works through games, story, challenges, audio, and hands-on fun.
[4:47] Amber Ivey (AI): Each card covers a real AI concept, just like the ones we talked about through this ABCs of AI series, but it takes it even deeper and it allows you to explore different concepts in different ways and way more hands-on.
[4:59] Amber Ivey (AI): You can get your deck, donate one to a school, or even get a poster with the ABCs of AI.
[5:05] Amber Ivey (AI): Have your parents visit our Kickstarter with the link is in the bio, and join us in making sure every kid can understand the future they're growing up in.
[5:12] Amber Ivey (AI): Alright, I know AI may seem complicated, but the truth is you're already doing the hard stuff.
[5:18] Amber Ivey (AI): Keep asking questions, keep using your imagination, keep thinking critically, and that that's something no AI can ever replace.
[5:27] Amber Ivey (AI): Thank you all so much for listening.
[5:29] Amber Ivey (AI): Thanks for learning and thanks for making the future brighter.
[5:31] Amber Ivey (AI): One ABC letter and AI concept at a time.
[5:35] Amber Ivey (AI): Who knows what we're gonna have next in two more weeks?
[5:38] Amber Ivey (AI): I'm thinking about a new series.
[5:40] Amber Ivey (AI): If you have ideas or if you want to share what you think the new series should be about, have your parents email me at contact ataidigitales.com and you could have the next idea for the next series.
[5:51] Amber Ivey (AI): See you next time.
[5:52] Amber Ivey (AI): Stay curious.
[5:53] Amber Ivey (AI): Bye bye.
[5:54] Amber Ivey (AI): Thank you for joining us as we explore the fascinating world of artificial intelligence.
[5:59] Amber Ivey (AI): Don't keep this adventure to yourself.
[6:01] Amber Ivey (AI): Download it, share it with your friends, and let everyone else in on the fun.
[6:05] Amber Ivey (AI): Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.
[6:08] Amber Ivey (AI): See you next time on AI for kids.

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