Is it a good idea to let a 16 yrs old use an AI assistant .i.e. chatgpt?

TheEntity , 4 months ago

You cannot let or forbid a 16yo to use stuff. You can only decide whether they will do it in the open or in hiding. Personally I'd rather have them talk to me about it than hide it from me.

rufus , 4 months ago (edited 4 months ago)

Kids should use their own creativity, practice reading, creating something. Play outside, get dirty. Do sports, maybe learn a musical instrument. And do their homework themselves.

I’d say many things are alright in the proper dose. I mean ChatGPT is part of the world they’re growing in to…

And 16 isn’t a kid anymore. They can handle some responsibility. I don’t see a one-size-fits every 16 yo solution. I think you should allow them and decide individually.

I’d say at 16, give them some responsibility and let them practice handling it. But that means supervised. You can’t just give them anything and hop they’ll cope on their own. And AI has some non-obvious consequences / traps you can run into. Not even most of the adults can handle or understand it properly. So your focus should be teaching them the how and why, in my opinion. Alike you’d teach your kid how to use the circular saw at some point that age. As a parent you should lokk at them and see if they’re ready for it and how much supervision is appropriate.

PeepinGoodArgs , 4 months ago

Have you asked ChatGPT? Jk lol

Honestly, whatever they use ChatGPT for is probably fine. If you feel like they’re going to cheat on their homework or something, you can just ask them to do a small sample in front of you. Plus, it’s not like ChatGPT is going away, no matter how much the NYT and Disney complain. Best bet is for them to get familiar with the technology now.

Also, there’s literally no way to the long-term effects of AI. I strongly suspect that if people use it as a crutch, it will create intellectually and creatively stunted people. But it’s not like we don’t have that now…

LWD , 4 months ago (edited 4 months ago)

Disney’s fighting AI by using the 4D chess method of figuring out how to use it in their movies

arstechnica.com/…/disney-ai-task-force-aims-to-cu…

user224 , 4 months ago

It’s just AI chatbot, I don’t see how it would be dangerous.

And I am also pretty sure a 16 year old knows to expect inaccurate results from it, unless they’ve been living restricted from the outside world until now.

The only negative thing I see from it so far is kids using it to create essays, but it’s not like there wasn’t a countless number of them available on the internet before. It was just easier to detect as you could search up the text and see if you can find it online.

Anyway, for just playing around it gets boring after 15 minutes.
Why don’t you try?

LWD , 4 months ago

Something that appears more human is more likely to elicit them sending their private data. And that data is then sold, obviously without consent, and used however the buyers feel.

Instead of being scared to share information with it, you will volunteer your data…

– Vladimir Prelovac, CEO of Kagi AI and Search

Remember Replika, the AI chatbot that sexually harassed minors and SA victims, and (allegedly) repeated the contents of other people’s messages verbatim?

It might not be as mind-rotting as TikTok but it’s not good.

AlwaysNowNeverNotMe , 4 months ago

The context of the word "let" is interesting here.

I would recommend a collaborative approach, it's not as if they can't use it because you tell them no. They don't need a credit card or a driver's license or even a computer.

Dirk , 4 months ago

To use as a tool? Yes.
To use as a friend? No.

A person using a tool for a longer time will become better in using said tool.