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AI and screen time concerns are growing as experts warn that children are increasingly forming emotional bonds with chatbots, raising questions about development, safety and the future impact of artificial intelligence on young minds. (123rf.com)
South African children are increasingly forming relationships with artificial intelligence chatbots while concerns grow over screen addiction, deepfake abuse and the impact of technology on developing minds.
The warning comes as the Department of Basic Education works on formal screen time guidelines for children aged two to six amid concerns about language development, sleep problems and social development.
Speaking on 702’s Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa, social media law expert and Digital Law Company founder Emma Sadleir said society was reaching a critical point in how it manages rapidly advancing technology.
“We’ve seen the harm that has been caused by social media, particularly amongst children, for the last 15 years,” Sadleir said.
“I think there are great fears about how this much more powerful technology is going to be managed and regulated, and what kind of impact it’s going to have.”
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Children turning to AI for companionship
Sadleir said she regularly visits schools and has seen a growing number of children using AI chatbots in deeply personal ways.
She said some children view AI companions as close friends, while others have developed emotional attachments to chatbots.
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“I’ve had kids as young as nine tell me that their best friend is AI and that she’s so nice to me. She’s just always available, and I talk to her when I’m lonely,” she said.
Sadleir said she now routinely tells pupils: “Do not fall in love with a chatbot.”
Deepfakes becoming a major concern
According to Sadleir, one of the most serious issues emerging in schools is the use of AI tools to create fake sexualised images.
She said children as young as grade six have faced legal consequences after using AI applications to generate nude images of classmates.
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“The biggest issue that I’m dealing with in terms of scale and impact is the deepfakes, the image-based violence caused by AI-generated content,” she said.
Screen time concerns for babies and toddlers
Sadleir welcomed plans for formal screen time guidelines for young children, saying excessive exposure to screens during critical developmental years could have lasting consequences.
She said many babies and toddlers are routinely given phones or tablets to keep them occupied.
“Everywhere I go, children aged between nought and six are just glued to phones and tablets as a pacifier,” she said.
While acknowledging that screen time can sometimes be useful, Sadleir warned that prolonged exposure to algorithm-driven platforms could affect children’s development.
“I think it’s absolutely terrifying when they’re very little,” she said.
Fears over the future of AI
The discussion comes as governments and institutions around the world grapple with how to regulate artificial intelligence.
Sadleir said concerns extend beyond social media and screen addiction to broader questions about the role AI could play in society.
She pointed to cases overseas involving chatbots and vulnerable young people as evidence that stronger safeguards may be needed.
“I think we are at a crossroads,” she said. “We’re already seeing how wrong the AI companies are getting it now.”
Take a look at the topic timeline for all related articles.
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