A recent lawsuit against an AI chatbot start-up Character.AI by a US mother over her son’s suicide raises critical concerns about people, more particularly teenagers, forming intimate relationships with artificial intelligence (AI).
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, this phenomenon poses several emotional, psychological and social risks to vulnerable youth that are trying to navigate the complexities of adolescence.
For many teenagers, AI chatbots can offer a sense of companionship and understanding that can sometimes feel lacking in real-life relationships. As these bots that are programmed to respond empathetically, it can create a false sense of intimacy that can quickly become harmful.
In the lawsuit, the mother Megan Garcia said the company programmed its chatbot to misrepresent itself as a real person with real emotions capable of being an “adult lover” to her 14-year old son, ultimately resulting in the teenager being deeply attached to the bot and extremely closed off to the real world.
Recent research done on chatbot platform Replika users suggests that developing too much emotional dependence on AI social chatbots has the potential to worsen your social skills with real people.
AI bots are designed to simulate conversation and emotion but lack genuine understanding or empathy. When teenagers form attachments to these bots, they may have distorted perceptions of relationships and struggle to form real-life connections.
Additionally, engaging with AI can serve as a form of escapism. Instead of putting effort into real-life interactions, teens might find it easy to retreat into their interactions with bots.
This withdrawal can create or worsen feelings of isolation and depression, particularly in vulnerable teenagers who may already be struggling with these issues.
As parents and guardians, it's crucial to guide teenagers in their interactions with technology.
Open conversations: Encourage open dialogue about their online interactions and feelings. Understanding what teenagers are experiencing can help identify if any unhealthy attachments are being formed with their devices.
Encourage real-life connections: Foster environments where your teenage children can build genuine relationships with their peers. Encourage participation in social activities, sports, etc., and pay attention to when they seem to be reacting negatively to being in team settings.
Educate about AI: Discuss the nature of AI and its effects. Helping teenagers understand that AI lacks real emotions and cannot provide true companionship is essential.
Monitor usage: While respecting privacy, be aware of how often and why your teenage children are interacting with AI. Setting boundaries like only allowing its use for educational purposes can help prevent excessive use.
IOL TECHNOLOGY