Whose voice might they be turning to? While the world debates banning social media for under 16s, I fear there may be a greater threat – and paradoxically, a greater opportunity – sitting at the kitchen table, on the school bus, in their bedrooms.
What started as curiosity, then a little homework help, is becoming a ‘friend’ for many. A first-responder.
It’s possible that an AI chatbot knows more about our children than we do. And it knows exactly how to keep them coming back for more.
Social media keeps you watching. AI gets you trusting. Consider how that trust builds, from curiosity and homework through to bigger questions about friendships, love, relationships, late-night secrets. Having something to turn to rather than nothing makes a certain kind of sense. But with no human oversight, who’s to say what that voice is saying? Now that’s a new breed of influencer.
Test my theory. If you use AI, think about how and what for. Did it start as a few innocent prompts? Now it’s helping you with the weekly shop, with letters, even with health worries. Maybe it’s already become the voice you trust. So what exactly are we warning them about?
We’ve spent too long worrying about AI taking our jobs. We should be worrying about it taking our seat at the homework table, and becoming the voice our children trust most.
I’m writing more about that here: https://simonhking.co.uk/what-if-the-next-voice-they-trust-isnt-yours?
