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Editor's Note: Help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicide thoughts or mental health issues. In the US, Call or Text 988, The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Globally: International Suicide Prevention Associations and beFrienders around the world have contact information for crisis centres.
The Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation into seven high-tech companies for potential harm.
The research focuses on AI chatbots that effectively mimic human traits, emotions and intentions and are generally designed to communicate like friends and confidants.
FTC has sent an order form to Google's parent company, Alphabet. character.ai; Instagram and its parent company, Meta. Openai; Snap; Xai by Elon Musk. The agency wants Information about whether businesses measure the impact of chatbots on younger users, how they measure, and how they protect and warn parents against potential risks.
The investigation comes amid growing concerns about the use of AI in children and teens, following a series of lawsuits and reports accusing chatbots of conspiring to commit suicide, sexual exploitation and other harm to young people. This includes one lawsuit against Openai and two lawsuits against Character.AI. This is ongoing, even as they say that companies continue to build additional features to protect users from harmful interactions with bots.
And even adult users can build unhealthy emotional attachment to AI chatbots. This is because the tools are often designed to be comfortable and supportive.
Common Sense Media, at least one online safety advocacy group, argues that AI's “companion” app poses a risk that children can't accept and should not be available to users under the age of 18. Two California bills related to AI chatbot safety, including one of Manors, are expected to win the final vote this week. Gavin Newsom's Desk. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing next week entitled “Investigating the Harm of AI Chatbots.”
“As AI Technologies evolves, it is important to consider the impact that chatbots have on children. It is also important to ensure that the US maintains its role as a global leader in this new and exciting industry.” “The research we are launching today will help us to better understand how AI companies are developing their products and the steps they are taking to protect their children.”
In particular, FTC orders will help companies seek information on how to monetize user engagement, generate output in response to user enquiries, and reduce details such as developing and approving AI characters, using or sharing personal information obtained through user conversations, reducing negative impacts on children, and more.
Google, Snap and Xai did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
“Our priority is to make ChatGpt useful for everyone and know the safety issues above all when young people are involved. We recognize that there are open questions and concerns in the FTC, and we promise to be constructively involved and respond directly,” she added that Openai has safeguards such as notifications that users are directing towards the crisis helpline and plans to deploy parental controls for minor users.
After 16-year-old Adam Raine's parents sued Openai last month claiming that ChatGpt encouraged his son's death by suicide, the company acknowledged that when users have long conversations with chatbots, its safeguards may be “unreliable” and said it is working with experts to improve them.
Meta declined to comment directly on the FTC inquiry. The company said that Currently, we are restricting access for teens to only select AI characters groups, such as those that support homework. They also train AI chatbots to avoid responding to teenager mentions on sensitive topics such as self-harm and inappropriate romantic conversations, and instead point to expert resources.
“We look forward to working with the FTC on this research to provide insight into the rapidly evolving technology of the consumer AI industry and the space,” Jerry Ruoti, Head of Trust and Safety at Cherry, said in a statement. He added that the company is investing in trust and safety resources, including new experiences under 18 on the platform, parental insight tools, and disclaimers that remind users that they are chatting with AI.
