Imagine that your teenage son spends hours chatting with a friend who never sleeps or gets bored, listens to everything that worries him, and answers all his questions. But this friend is not a human being; it is a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence. This scenario is no longer fiction; it has become a common reality. Artificial intelligence has become a new force shaping our daily habits, thoughts, and even personal relationships. Among its most controversial applications are interactive chatbots, which mimic human conversations and provide personal interaction that reaches the level of digital companionship.
A recent report by the non-profit organization Common Sense revealed that 72% of teenagers have used chatbots, called AI companions (artificial intelligence companions), which are robots designed to provide emotional support, and more than half of them use them regularly. Worryingly, 19% of them spend more time with these virtual companions than they do with their real friends in real life.
This rapid transformation has raised important questions, such as: can this digital companion become a source of real emotional support, relieve a teenager's feeling of loneliness and give him a safe space for expression, or can it turn into a dangerous alternative to real-life relationships, feeding isolation and exposing him to inappropriate content
Therefore, the American Psychological Association (APA) has formed a committee of experts to study the potential effects of these tools on the well-being of adolescents, and this step has shown that we are still at the stage of exploring the matter, and researchers are rushing to keep abreast of developments, and that answering questions about the future that artificial intelligence holds for adolescents is not easy, the question depends on how these platforms are designed and how they are used. Here's a challenge: How can parents, teachers, lawmakers, and even AI developers direct this technology to serve the well-being of teenagers instead of harming them
This report, based on the insights of experts in psychology, will shed light on the complex effects of this rapidly spreading technique among adolescents and also make a series of recommendations for all interested parties.
First, what opportunities and risks does artificial intelligence offer teenagers?
Today, society is at a crossroads regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on adolescents. On the one hand, it carries a huge potential to support them, which includes:
Personalized emotional support: artificial intelligence provides teens with a safe space to express emotions.
Active learning: AI tools help teenagers stimulate intellectual curiosity and delve deeper into knowledge.
Creative exploration: teenagers can use generative artificial intelligence as a platform for creative exploration, as this technology can help them express their creativity in ways that were not possible before, such as: creating unique works of art by describing their thoughts in words only, which opens up a world of visual arts for them without the need for advanced drawing skills, they can also compose new musical compositions or write poems and short stories, which enhances their thinking abilities.
Exploring new horizons: teenagers can also use artificial intelligence to create virtual reality simulations or design unique gaming environments, allowing them to express themselves in interactive and immersive ways. This will also increase their creative skills and prepare them for a future where creativity is shaped by technology.
But on the other hand, there are serious risks of this technique that may adversely affect the psychosocial development of adolescents, including:
Social isolation: AI-powered chatbots may push teens to replace real human relationships with virtual ones, which can exacerbate loneliness.
Exposure to harmful content: weak current AI controls may expose teens to inappropriate or violent text, images, or videos.
Violation of privacy: the use of images and voices of adolescents in unsafe ways may open the door to possible abuses or cases of deep falsification.
Secondly, what are the main recommendations for dealing with this challenge?
The committee of the American Psychological Association made a series of recommendations addressed to all interested parties in a new report to ensure the safe and useful use of this technique.
1-at the design and policy level (responsibility of companies and legislators):
New technologies are often designed for adults first, and then modified to become safe for children later. But with artificial intelligence, we have a unique opportunity to change this approach. AI tools aimed at teenagers from the very beginning should be designed in a different way, taking into account their growth and safety.
The responsibility to protect adolescents lies not only with parents, but is a responsibility shared by everyone, including: legislators, teachers and, above all, technology companies. Therefore, psychology experts advise these companies to do the following:
Limit teenagers ' exposure to harmful content.
Create age-appropriate experiences in collaboration with growth experts.
Reduce the advantages that promote excessive teenage use of platforms.
Provide easy mechanisms for reporting problems.
Constantly confirm the limits of chatbots, such as that they are not human and that their information may be inaccurate.
Protect teenagers ' data, photos, and voices from any misuse.
2-at the level of education and awareness (responsibility of schools and teachers):
Children should learn the basics of artificial intelligence and how to use it responsibly, and this starts in school. Therefore, the curriculum should include basic education on how artificial intelligence works, how to use it consciously, and how to distinguish between real content and content created using artificial intelligence techniques, such as deep falsification.
In addition, the ethical considerations involved in its use must be discussed, and that effort requires a collaboration between policymakers, school districts, and technology companies to provide teachers with the necessary resources and guidance.
1-experiment first:
3 - at the level of parents:
The burden cannot be left to parents alone, but their role remains decisive, and experts advise the following steps:
Talking about artificial intelligence with teenagers can seem difficult, so before you start, try these platforms yourself to have a clear idea of how they work and what attracts your kid to use them. Then, start a dialogue with him.
2-affirming the importance of human relationships:
Studies have shown that as many as 19% of teens who have used AI companions spend more time with them than with their real friends, so lonely teens may tend to replace real relationships with digital companionship.
So discuss with your son the limits of the relationship with chatbots, how they can not replace human relationships, encourage him to build real friendships in reality, and remind him that human relationships, in all their complexity, are irreplaceable.
3-orientation towards the use of artificial intelligence for good:
The benefits of artificial intelligence are not limited to entertainment; it has huge possibilities for learning and creativity, and from here it is possible to start a dialogue with your child about how artificial intelligence is used in his studies, and does it helps him understand difficult concepts, or in writing his homework Is he aware of the school's policies regarding its use
Teenagers should also be encouraged to use artificial intelligence as a tool to support critical thinking and delve into topics that interest them, and not as a substitute for thinking or ready-made solutions.
4-teach them how to think critically about content:
Artificial intelligence models are not always reliable and may provide incorrect information, especially in sensitive topics such as physical and psychological health. Teach your kid that any advice, diagnosis or recommendation from chatbots should always be verified by a reliable source or a human specialist.
He discussed the dangers of content generated by artificial intelligence, including fake news and deepfakes, reminded him of the need to verify the source of photos and videos, and stressed that creating or posting fake photos of others is unethical, as well as it can be illegal.
5-warning against harmful content:
Artificial intelligence models can still produce inappropriate, harmful, violent, or discriminatory content, even with developers ' constant efforts to get rid of it, so talk to your son constantly about these risks, encourage him to tell you immediately if he encounters any content that makes him uncomfortable, and agree together on clear rules for using this technology.
The world of artificial intelligence is developing faster than scientific research can keep up with it, however, the absence of full-fledged studies does not mean the need to wait, rather, immediate action should be taken by opening Open and continuous channels of dialogue with adolescents, applying the recommendations of experts at the level of design, policy, education and parents to maximize the benefits of this powerful technology and mitigate its potential risks for the future generation.