While artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually becoming a powerful learning and working tool, a new report from the Internet Matters organization (UK) shows that this technology is having a profound impact on the way children communicate and seek emotional support.
Notably, many young people now consider AI chatbot such as ChatGPT, My AI (Snapchat) or Character.AI as their close friends.
The report surveyed more than 1,000 children and 2,000 parents in the UK. The results show that nearly 64% of children are using AI chatbots for homework, review, seek advice and even confide.
Of these, nearly 25% of children have asked the chatbot about personal issues such as how to dress, talking to friends or mental health.
In particular, about 15% of children admit that they prefer to talk to AI than to humans, and some said they use chatbots because they feel lonely. Among them, some even said that chatting to the chatbot is like talking to a friend.
However, experts warn that children's over-reliance on chatbots can have long-term consequences, because AI is not designed to play a role in psychological support or emotional education.
Some feedback from chatbots can be inaccurate, inappropriate, or misunderstanding, especially when children are not able to evaluate content academically.
According to the study, 58% of children prefer to ask chatbot rather than look up information online. Meanwhile, only 34% of parents have discussed with their children how to recognize trustworthy feedback from AI, although 62% of parents said they were concerned about the quality of information generated by AI.
To protect children in the AI era, Internet Matters recommends the need for coordination between the government, schools, parents and technology developers.
Specifically, it is necessary to add parental control tools, strict regulations and educate knowledge about AI in schools, helping children access technology safely and responsibly.
In a world where AI is becoming a companion, the question is not only "What can AI do?", but also "How should children use AI so as not to lose connection with real humans?".
