Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
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MINOT — The North Dakota superintendent of public instruction was among a few speakers at the Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Committee meeting Thursday, Aug. 13, to emphasize the need to prioritize child safety and education.
Levi Bachmeier said it’s important to not take regulation too far, preventing students from accessing technology altogether. At the same time, he feels a lot was learned with the harm caused by child social media use, and putting protections in place for children is one of the richest areas for AI policymaking.
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“We have to ensure that safety is our first priority,” Bachmeier said.
He feels it’s necessary to look at AI’s potential teaching abilities with skepticism, and ensure students receive training before they are allowed to utilize AI in a classroom setting.
Bachmeier’s main concern, though, was another common use of AI.
“If I had to pick a villain, it would be companion chatbots,” he said.
Bachmeier recommended regulations be put in place that require chatbot companion companies to bear the same mandated reporter burdens as educators.
“If you’re going to pretend to be a person, you need to follow the same expectations,” he said.
Bachmeier feels prohibiting child use of chatbots would be more appropriate but, if not, safeguards should be put in place to prevent addictive or manipulative engagement. If a child brings up a concerning subject to AI, the chatbot should advise them to speak to a human about it, he said. Asked by the committee who would monitor compliance with these regulations, Bachmeier said part of that would be through educator and parent observation.
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Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, asked if Bachmeier and another presenter could work on language for an actual bill to be brought to the Legislature, showing what’s missing with child safety and AI.
“We’re going to run out of time really fast,” Porter said.
Anthony Aguirre, another presenter and president/CEO of the Future of Life Institute, said he has a child protection bill written, and a key factor to consider will be pre-deployment testing, which is standard in most industries.
Aguirre also said creating liability laws would set a strong legal precedent.
Michael Marinaccio, another presenter and executive director of the Center for Responsible Technology, said it would be dangerous to allow children to use AI that does not challenge them, or allow them to experience the friction they naturally would through human interaction. He feels frequent communication with a chatbot that’s designed to agree with its user can lead to children growing up unfamiliar with silence, curiosity, wonder, boredom, discernment or peace.
“There’s not going to be a grandiose bill that fixes all the problems,” Marinaccio said.
However, “Big Tech” will experiment on North Dakota children if state lawmakers don’t act, he said. Marinaccio recommended banning student-facing chatbots from classrooms; teaching students about the risks of AI and technology ethics; and considering bringing back in-classroom, paper-and-pencil writing.
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He also recommended incentives for screen-free schools, and putting safeguards in place to make it more difficult for large corporations to be directly involved with children through data relationships or contractual business.
Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, said the Legislature last year struggled to pass an effective age verification law. Marinaccio said children have a right to be protected, and recommended lawmakers focus on bills with “strong teeth” as to how they would actually verify the age of an AI chatbot user.
Minot State University Professors Daren Erisman, assistant professor of computer science, and Nigel George, physics professor, spoke about teaching AI to college students.
Erisman said AI has to be taught in some way, but should be dosed correctly based on someone’s age. Students need to be taught the importance of learning hard — and even harmful — things, instead of just going for the soft, quick answers, he added.
Not teaching students about it doesn’t mean they won’t be exposed to it. George recommended having students teach AI, rather than use it to teach them.
Also during the Thursday, Aug. 13, meeting:
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