In the published guide, it was stated that programs such as ChatGPT could negatively affect child development and called for a certain age restriction.
So we asked both the street and the experts about this issue.
“Do you think there should be an age limit for children’s use of artificial intelligence?”
Many people’s answers to this question we asked on the streets of Ankara were similar. The majority expressed the opinion that the use of artificial intelligence tools at young ages could be harmful to children and that there should be an age limit.
Assoc. Prof. from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Health Sciences asked the same question. Dr. We asked Dilek Altun. Child development expert Altun’s opinion also confirms the voice of the street.
“It involves risks”
Stating that productive artificial intelligence applications work with algorithms on ready-made data sets on the internet and that they are designed for adults, Altun explained the risks of children using these tools with the following words:
“It involves some risks for children. We see that it opens the door to many problems such as not being able to access accurate information, manipulations, encountering inappropriate content, problems in data protection, neglect of children’s rights, and ethical problems. The point to note here is that these applications are game-based, linked to real life, and used in adult interaction such as families and teachers.”
Risks can be eliminated by developing vehicles suitable for children.
Reminding that according to the guide published by UNESCO, it is more appropriate for children aged 13 and over to use existing vehicles under the supervision of their parents or teachers, Altun stated that this age can be lowered even further with vehicles specially prepared for children:
“The age group that UNESCO currently recommends is 13 and above. In this context, I think their suggestions are really justified and valid. But I think that more appropriate, artificial intelligence-supported tools, which will be prepared with specific data sets and algorithms specific to children’s development levels, can be used under adult supervision under the age of 13.”
