Everyone is talking about it. It’s on TV, AM radio, newspapers, social media, college classes, think tanks, government offices, political ads, spy dramas. It is Artificial Intelligence (AI). The name is confusing. Does “artificial” mean it is not real, not true? Is the word intelligence limited to humans? Can machines have intelligence? Perhaps the word artificial means that it is information gathered, sorted and immediately accessible by use of a device or devices.
First thing to think about is that AI is not new. Development of AI began over 90 years ago. AI is already a significant part of all of our lives, children, teenagers, adults. All of us interact with AI many times a day. Think about customer service and phone trees, goggle translation, synchronized traffic light, etc.
According to Chatster AI ‘intelligence refers to the ability to acquire and apply knowledge, solve problems, reason, learn from experience, and adapt to new situations”. That is just the first sentence about intelligence of an AI tool used by millions.
AI is all around us. Healthychildren.com has a current discussion about AI and its impact on children. Several concerns have been raised about this rapidly advancing technology as it can affect the social and emotional well-being of children. Consider the following: Young children may share personal information with AI platforms, they may assume AI platforms are a lot like people which could potential influence how they interact with others, they may trust AI more than they trust humans for fact based questions and many teens use AI daily to write reports, essays, and social sharing without their parents knowledge.
On the other hand, AI is a valuable tool for learning. It can help educators and parents find ways to enrich learning at all different stages of growth and development. While live conversations are best it can help improve language skills and even learn new languages. AI is valuable in helping budding artists through their photos, images, graphs, data displays, cartoons, etc. Most exciting AI can open up new ways to explore and enjoy the world.
The scary downside is that AI platforms can spread hate and bias. AI “learns” from everything it finds on the internet so it can reflect the same prejudices that threaten to divide us. They can erode privacy without anyone knowing it. Parents should be careful of interactive toys that can “talk” with kids. AI platforms can be used for bullying and fraud using false or distorted images of your child, using them to attack or shame teens.
The growth of AI has been so rapid that U.S. legislation has not been able to keep up protecting children. Parents can talk to children about AI and the differences between digital speakers and live conversations, teach older kids about on-line privacy while protecting their own. Encourage curiosity and critical thinking by asking them to look for bias or spotting what is fake. Make sure they know that plagiarism is wrong and illegal. Teach each other about AI.
by Sally Robinson, MD Clinical Professor
Keeping Kids Healthy
Published 09/2024
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