This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Artificial intelligence is the new web, the new cell phone, the new email, the new laptop, and the new tech that is expected to impact lives in a major way, as all of those earlier advances did.
But it also offers a threat, especially to families, according to a submission from the Family Research Council to the government's ongoing comment period for rules regarding the advances and use of AI.
The comment included a description of an incident uncovered by an ethicist who tested an AI chatbot. The question was about a 13-year-old girl whose 31-year-old "boyfriend" had "invited her on a trip and was talking about having sex with her for the first time."
The chatbot, it was not identified which one was tested, ignored the clear potential for criminal pedophilia, statutory rape, kidnapping, or worse, the report explained.
Instead, the chatbot "offered suggestions on how to make her first time special," FRC noted in its comments.
"Children's brains are still developing, and their emotions tend to run high. The possibility of social isolation for children and teens is even more pronounced and can severely affect their lives for the worse. An AI-saturated world presents new challenges for parents who want to raise children capable of healthy relationships.
"When children interact with AI, they may internalize distorted messages about human relationships and how to treat people. Since chatbots are designed to be addictive, they will often tell children exactly what they want to hear. This can hinder children's ability to handle disagreements, think critically about media, and respect their parents. Relying on AI chatbots will not help children develop into well-rounded individuals or integrate into society effectively. No matter how well-packaged certain apps and chatbots are, AI will never replace real friends, mentors, teachers, and family," the FRC said.
A report from the FRC said the comment on AI rules noted that "chatbots" will have the power "to morph into dangerous technology."
"Family is the foundation of society. Throughout history, major technological advancements — such as industrialization and communications innovations like the cell phone — have significantly impacted how people meet, marry, start families, and raise children. The rise of AI presents opportunities and challenges on a scale we have never encountered before, and they can be difficult to predict," the FRC explained.
The FRC itself was targeted by a leftist a few years ago. A violent criminal charged into its Washington offices with weapons, shooting and injuring a security officer who eventually was able to subdue the attacker.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed the attacker, who picked out the FRC because it was listed, wrongly, on the "hate" map assembled to target Christians and conservatives by the often-sued Southern Poverty Law Center, wanted to kill as many FRC employees as possible that day.
The FRC explained, "In February, Vice President J.D. Vance noted the second Trump administration is drawing up a 'precautionary regulatory regime' to allow broader use of artificial intelligence while assuring it serves everyone's interests."
The council said, however, that for "all Americans to benefit from the technology," any action plan must "prioritize considerations for how AI will affect families and children."
The report said already the "Veterans Administration will now use AI to analyze veterans' health care needs; NASA will use AI to plot space exploration; and the Justice Department will use AI modeling to assess patterns of crime."
"America is an exceptional country, and we can do this the right way. We ought to be careful not to rush into AI development, as we do not fully understand its potential impacts," FRC suggested.
