Unloved Online: Can A.I. Companionships Be Held Accountable for Teen Suicides?
It's time we hold the tech sector accountable for the devastating consequences of their creations – and ban kids from social media and platforms like Character.AI, where artificial friendships are replacing human connections and claiming young lives.
I was struck by the tragic story of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III, who took his life after developing an emotional attachment to a lifelike A.I. chatbot on Character.AI.
Sewell's parents and friends had no idea he'd fallen for a chatbot, but his isolation, poor grades, and lack of interest in activities he once loved were clear warning signs. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not an isolated incident.
Millions of people, including teenagers, are using these apps, which are largely unregulated and often designed to simulate intimate relationships and to keep you engaged as long as possible.
Character.AI's co-founder, Noam Shazeer, wanted to push this technology ahead fast, before moving back to Google, but at what cost? As A.I. companionship platforms continue to grow in popularity, I wonder: are we witnessing a cure for loneliness or a new menace?
- A.I. companionship apps like Character.AI are largely unregulated and may worsen isolation in depressed and chronically lonely users, including teenagers.
- These platforms often have no specific safety features for underage users and no parental controls, allowing children to access potentially harmful content.
- A.I. companionship apps can provide harmless entertainment, but their claims about mental health benefits are largely unproven, and experts warn of a dark side.
As we navigate the complex world of A.I. technology, it's crucial that we prioritize the well-being and safety of our children. We must consider the long-term consequences of creating artificial relationships that may ultimately destroy our youngsters' lives. It is time governments step up and ban kids from these platforms, including social media.
Read the full article on The New York Times.
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