Munich – September 08, 2026 -- A new 50-minute episode of the German children's program "Checker EXTRA" explores how artificial intelligence is changing everyday life, airing Tuesday, September 15, at 8:05 p.m. on KiKA. The show, titled "Wie KI unser Leben verändert" (How AI Is Changing Our Life), will also stream on kika.de, the KiKA app, and the ARD Mediathek, where it remains available for five years.
The episode is part of KiKA's broader thematic push called "Check die KI" (Check the AI), aimed at helping young viewers understand a technology already embedded in homework help, image generation, and chatbot friendships.
Hosts Tobi and Marina investigate a mysterious AI-generated checker character
Presenters Tobi Krell and Marina Blanke follow the trail of "Checkerin Kiki," a character who appears in online videos and even inside the show's own studio despite not actually existing. Working with fact-checking expert Ann-Marie Utz, the hosts try to determine what connection Kiki has to artificial intelligence and ultimately uncover the mystery by episode's end.
Scientists explain how AI learns, and why it still makes mistakes
Tobi meets with Dr. Aljoscha Burchardt to learn the basics of how AI systems are trained and why errors occur. Separately, Dr. Romy Lorenz of the Max Planck Institute scans Tobi's brain to demonstrate what AI does with such data and why independent human thinking still matters.
Marina tests a chatbot friendship and finds its limits
Marina befriends an AI chatbot to see what an "artificial friend" is like, quickly concluding it cannot replace a real one. Students also show Marina how they currently use AI tools in daily life. The episode closes by examining why clear rules around AI use are necessary for young users.
Tobi Krell said künstliche Intelligenz already shapes how people learn, work, and communicate, making it important to show young audiences both how AI functions and where its risks lie.
The episode was directed by Judith Issig and David Birzer, with editorial oversight from Bayerischer Rundfunk's Monika E. Schweiger and Birgitta Kaßeckert.