13-year-old girl with no coding background makes parenting app with AI, earns Rs 2.2 lakh in 3 days

Unlike conventional technology competitions, the event did not have technical judges. Winners were decided based on the income generated by their AI products during the competition, the Hong Kong-based newspaper reported.

Zai Chang is designed to act as a virtual parent while children complete their homework. Parents can upload a photograph of themselves, after which the app creates a virtual version that appears on the screen while the child studies.

How the teen built an AI study app in 3 days

The app uses a camera to monitor the child. If it detects that the child is using a mobile phone or has left their seat, the virtual parent issues a voice reminder. After the study session, it generates a “concentration report”.

Shuhan said the idea was inspired by her own experience. Her parents were often busy and could not sit with her while she studied, she said.

“My parents were so busy that they did not have time to accompany me while I studied. I often found myself distracted and discreetly using my phone while doing homework,” she was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Shuhan added that many of her classmates struggled with similar issues, prompting her to develop what she described as a “digital parent clone”.

Shuhan said she built the app by explaining her idea in simple terms to a large language model (LLM), which helped generate the code. She also used AI programming tools to address technical problems during app development.

From designing the product to implementing its core features, the entire process took around three to four days, she said.

The app initially included a feature called “mother getting angry”, which was meant to alert parents when a child was repeatedly distracted. Shuhan later removed the feature, saying she wanted the app to encourage children rather than punish them.

“I dislike whistle-blowers. I want my app to be gentle and allow room for improvement for children,” she said.

Shuhan said her experience developing the app had also changed her understanding of AI. “As long as you have a good idea, AI can bring it to life,” she said.