Adobe StockCyber safety experts are warning that safeguards must be put in place to protect children from Artificial Intelligence, as figures suggest over 60% of UK children now use AI chat websites.
Charity Internet Matters says young people are increasingly turning to AI platforms for advice and companionship – often with no moderation and a clear understanding of the risks.
While a few years ago AI may have been associated only with robots or supercomputers, today it plays an increasing and unavoidable part in our lives. The rise of Generative AI chat websites, which offer personalised “character” interactions, is now causing serious concern.
Chatbots – online websites or apps like ChatGPT that are designed for textual conversations – allow users to ask any question and receive a computer-generated answer.
STV NewsYoung people studying in Aberdeen say these platforms are “addictive”.
Daniel said: “If something bad were happening to me, I would go to ChatGPT and try to find an answer. It’s like, I keep searching, and I feel like AI really perpetuates that.
“They always like to finish off a prompt with, ‘Oh, do you wanna know about this or that?’ and that just leads on to the cycle of just wanting to find out more, and more and more. AI rarely tells you to stop.”
Enya says she uses it five times a day.
“I can’t believe it’s been that many times since January already – and we’re coming up to the end of the year.
“The cycle of it being addictive because it’s quick and easy is really true. The model having to ask you questions back can be really enticing as well.”
STV NewsMicrosoft’s AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman tweeted in August this year that there were reports of ‘AI psychosis’ a rise in unhealthy attachments between humans and AI.
He warns that safeguards must be put in place now.
Last week, Mental Health UK revealed that more than one in three people use AI chatbots for mental health support.
Generative AI can also create characters that people can interact with online, which is causing concern amongst cyber security experts. Companion-style chatbots have surged in popularity, with CharacterAI among the most widely used.
Cyber-safety specialist Annanbel Turner says these interactions could have serious consequences for children and teenagers.
STV News“All of these characters are designed to behave in an enormously adult way,” she said.
“If you’re interacting with an AI character flirting with you or pushing boundaries, it’s no different to being groomed by an adult – but you can’t recognise it because it’s your favourite character.”
Most of the chatbot or generative AI sites do not have any age verification checks and aren’t closely moderated, meaning children can access content that would be restricted on any other social site.
“They are going on these sites because they may see something advertised that piques their interest. They are not designed for children and young people, yet they’re very easy to access.”
She explains that the interactions risk having an impact on a child’s well-being.
“It normalises increasingly harmful behaviour and makes this seem like an everyday thing. It shifts their view of how they should be treated, and their fundamental worldview.”
The UK’s Online Safety Act, which came into place this year, was hailed by campaigners as a step towards stronger protections.
But those working in online harm say technology is evolving much faster than regulation.
“This is not going away – so, how do we support children’s development through their teenage years?”
“We want products that are exciting and creative, that are good for children and young people – but this is not it,” Annabel said.
“These are spaces we desperately need to be aware of as parents and caregivers. We are not having a sufficient conversation about them. The landscape has completely changed.”
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