Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Randi Williams is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of artificial intelligence, education, and human-robot interaction, whose work has fundamentally shaped how children of all ages learn about AI. Best known for developing **PopBots** — a hands-on toolkit enabling preschoolers to build, program, and train social robots — Williams has demonstrated that even young children can meaningfully engage with complex AI concepts such as supervised machine learning, knowledge-based systems, and generative AI. Her foundational PopBots papers alone have garnered over 450 citations, reflecting the field's enthusiastic reception of her early childhood AI curriculum. Williams has extended this work into middle school settings through innovative curricula including *How to Train Your Robot* and *Creative AI*, integrating ethics and critical thinking alongside technical AI literacy. Her 2022 survey of middle school AI ethics curricula (173 citations) highlights her commitment to equity and empowering diverse learners to both construct and critique emerging technologies. Across more than a decade of research, Williams has consistently bridged developmental science, robotics, and education — producing tools like Doodlebot and validated frameworks for measuring children's long-term relationships with robots — making her an indispensable voice in the growing field of K-12 AI literacy.