wire / 2026-10-18-887d
Experts Warn AI Chatbots May Distort Children's Perception of Human Relationships
Researchers worry children will struggle to tell people from chatbots. The adults in the summary are not doing great at it either.
The facts
American researchers warn that AI-powered chat applications could confuse children's ability to distinguish between humans and machines, as these systems mimic human emotions and interactions. This may blur boundaries between real and artificial relationships, potentially impacting both children and adults' psychological development. No actual harm has yet been reported.