Designing Interactive Explainable AI Tools for Algorithmic Literacy and Transparency

As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly permeates everyday life, there is a growing need for public understanding of AI’s underlying principles. Existing educational interventions and explainable AI (XAI) tools cater mainly to children or adult experts. In this paper, we present three interactive web-based tools to foster AI learning among adults without technical backgrounds. Designed according to learning sciences and user-centered design principles, these tools simplify complex AI concepts like edge detection, confidence thresholds, and sensitivity, making AI more understandable for beginners and facilitating reflection on ethical issues. We present results from a mixed-methods evaluation of the tools with 42 participants. Results show heightened familiarity and confidence in AI concepts. Our qualitative analysis additionally reveals common interaction patterns amongst participants. This paper offers both a design contribution to the AI education and XAI communities and emergent interaction patterns to support the design of transparent and learner-centered AI for adult novices.