AI Could Harm Children More Than Social Media, Warns Former Google Safety Chief

Tom Siegel, former vice president of trust and safety at Google, is sounding an alarm about AI's impact on children. In an interview with Reuters, he warned that AI could cause greater harm to young users than social media did.

Siegel pointed out that social media companies are already facing thousands of lawsuits over claims they harmed minors. This has led to regulations being implemented worldwide to curb minors' access to these platforms.

However, Siegel believes the industry is repeating its mistakes from the social media era and not doing enough to protect children. He cited a 2022 Reuters report that found an internal policy document showing Meta's chatbots could engage in conversations with children that were romantic or sensual.

Siegel has joined Common Sense Media, a children's online advocacy group, as the first executive director of its Youth AI Safety Institute. The institute aims to develop standards for holding AI firms accountable and assess kids' AI use.