Before we go into what experts have to say, let’s see what ChatGPT has to say for itself. I asked ChatGPT, “Is ChatGPT safe for kids to use?” Here’s what it replied:
ChatGPT is a language model designed for general communication purposes and does not have any content that is specifically unsuitable for children. However, as an AI language model, ChatGPT’s responses are generated based on patterns and associations learned from large datasets of text. While ChatGPT has been trained on a diverse range of texts and is generally safe, there is always the possibility that it may generate responses that are inappropriate or offensive.
It is also important to note that ChatGPT is not intended to replace parental supervision and guidance when children are using technology. Parents or guardians should always monitor their children’s online activities and teach them to use the internet safely and responsibly.
Overall, while ChatGPT is generally safe for children to use, it is important to exercise caution and supervision when allowing children to use any online platform or tool.
Sounds reasonable enough. Through my research, I found that the bot is correct. As long as you supervise your child, ChatGPT is pretty safe. There are some nuances that parents need to be aware of, though:
- ChatGPT has been trained on a wide range of topics. Some of them may not be appropriate for your kiddos.
- ChatGPT was trained with content made by humans, so it can produce the same kind of biases.
- OpenAI (the creators of ChatGPT) review conversations to help improve the AI chatbot, so make sure your kids know that nothing they tell ChatGPT is private.
- Be sure that your kiddo knows that using AI-generated content for essays and other homework is cheating. Learning from it’s okay, but using it to do your work for you isn’t since you don’t learn anything.