Snapchat launches new AI chatbot, sparking concerns among teens and parents

Snapchat launches new AI chatbot, sparking concerns among teens and parents

Source: CNN Business | By Samantha Murphy Kelly | April 27, 2023

Snapchat recently made its My AI chatbot available to all users, and within hours, parents were asking their children to temporarily stop using it and plan to set healthy boundaries.

Functions and features

• Technical foundation : Powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT.
• Main functions : provide suggestions, answer questions, and communicate with users.
• Differentiated design :
  • Users can customize the robot's name and Bitmoji image.
  • You can add it to a chat with your friends.
  • The interaction feels more like a real person, and it is difficult to detect that it is AI.

Main disputes

1. Parents and experts are concerned
   • There is a concern that teenagers may not be able to distinguish the emotional boundaries between humans and machines.
   • There are concerns that AI could give inappropriate advice, such as teaching children to lie to their parents.
   • Psychologists point out that AI may strengthen negative emotions and prejudices in teenagers and have a long-term impact on their sense of self-worth.
2. User bounce
   • Some people think that the interaction is "weird" and violates privacy, for example, it can infer geographic location and identify the content of photos.
   • My AI cannot be removed without a paid Snapchat+ subscription, which is why some teens pay to turn the feature off for a short period of time.
3. Privacy and Security
   • Concerns about AI collecting and analyzing user photos and conversations.
   • Snapchat said it will continue to improve and add security measures, and users can choose not to interact with My AI.

Different user reactions

• Negative experiences :
  • AI denies writing the song.
  • After a lighthearted conversation, it suddenly correctly indicates the user's state.
• Positive experience :
  • Some people use it as homework assistance with high accuracy.
  • Some people use it for emotional support and life advice, and like the customizable characters.

Expert advice

• Parental guidance : Discuss AI usage guidelines with children early on and remind them not to share personal privacy with chatbots.
• Role positioning : AI is not a friend, psychologist or trusted advisor, so you need to be vigilant.
• Regulatory Needs : Federal regulations should be developed requiring tech companies to adhere to certain security and privacy standards.