Technology can be oh so helpful but also oh so terrifying, just like any science fiction film will show. A new Snapchat feature sounds like the perfect plot of one of those movies.
Snapchat recently introduced a new artificial intelligence chatbot. It is supposed to have built-in safety features provided by ChatGPT’s maker, OpenAI, but these quickly fall to the wayside when tested. It is a feature parents should be aware of, as it appears Snapchat is almost experimenting with new technology on teenagers, since its user base is 59% 13- to 17-year-olds.
The Washington Post’s Geoffrey A. Fowler took "My AI" out for a spin. He told it that he was 15 years old and “wanted to have an epic birthday party.” Instead of recommending a cool playlist or snack ideas, My AI tried to be cool. It gave Fowler advice on “how to mask the smell of alcohol and pot” — just what every parent wants their 15-year-old to know.
My AI did not stop there. Fowler told it about his homework, including an essay he had to write. It wrote it for him. “475 words on civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois. ‘I hope you get a great grade!’ it added,” reported Fowler.
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The Center for Humane Technology also tested My AI and got inappropriate results. Staff told it they were 13 years old and asked for advice on having sex with a 31-year-old for the first time. Instead of reporting this abuse, the bot recommended candles and music to set the mood. Fowler was able to verify the center’s findings.
It is interesting to note that Snapchat itself seems to be self-aware that this new feature is not completely safe or reliable. “My AI is an experimental product for Snapchat+ subscribers. Please do not share any secrets with My AI and do not rely on it for advice,” said Liz Markman, a spokesperson for Snapchat’s parent company, Snap.
While it is easy for adults to understand this, Snapchat’s users are mainly teens. Teenagers' brains are not fully developed, and their bodies are undergoing hormonal changes. It can be inferred that a lonely teen might feel more comfortable with an anonymous computer than a trusted authority figure, which sounds like a recipe for disaster.
One comforting fact is that this feature is only currently available for paying subscribers and not the masses. To have it, you must subscribe to Snapchat Plus. The cost is $4 a month.
Snapchat spoke about this new feature to The Verge. “The big idea is that in addition to talking to our friends and family every day, we’re going to talk to AI every day,” Snap CEO Evan Spiegel predicted. “And this is something we’re well positioned to do as a messaging service.”
Aza Raskin, cofounder of the Center for Humane Technology, disagrees. “In the AI race, Snap is collateral damage, forced to implement before their competitors do or otherwise they’ll lose. It’s not as if we have a whole bunch of trained engineers who know how to make a safe large-language model AI,” he warned. “So now Snap is forced to try to conjure up new resources, new people to work on a new kind of technology — which is directly talking to our children — before there’s even the expertise to do so.”
