Artificial intelligence (AI) may pose a greater risk to children and adolescents than social media, according to a warning from a former Google safety executive.
Tom Siegel, who previously oversaw trust and safety at Google, stated in an interview with Reuters on September 22 that "we are in a very dire situation regarding the impact of AI on children," adding that major tech companies are repeating the mistakes they made in developing social media in the AI sector.
On the same day, Siegel was appointed as the first executive director of the Youth AI Safety Institute, established by Common Sense Media. The institute aims to independently evaluate AI products used by children and adolescents and establish safety standards. The institute is also supported by organizations such as the OpenAI Foundation and Anthropic.
Siegel cited several risks associated with AI, including youth suicide, mental health issues, and a decline in critical thinking skills due to reliance on AI. He specifically pointed out the potential for "cognitive outsourcing," where excessive dependence on AI could lead to a loss of independent thought processes. He emphasized the need for stronger safety measures, such as age verification to limit minors' access to chatbots.
Siegel worked in the trust and safety field at Google from 2004 to 2019. He later co-founded and led a startup called TrustLab, which focuses on detecting harmful elements in AI.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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