NOTE: Since April 2020, we have been offering every one of our presentations and trainings in virtual modalities (e.g., Zoom, WebEx, Teams). Reach out if you need specifics, as we’ve optimized the way we engage with our audiences from afar!
This training – customized for either youth-serving practitioners or youth themselves – will equip attendees with a comprehensive understanding of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), its growing ubiquity, its benefits and contributions to individuals and society, and the attendant risks and harms to consider and mitigate. Through anonymous flash polling, participants will share their own positive and negative experiences with GenAI and social chatbots to provide a true sense of the technology’s breadth and depth of reach. By examining nationally representative data from US youth, we discuss how these technologies can be misused to facilitate interpersonal harm, including harassment through the creation and spread of harmful content; hate speech through the generation and propagation of biased, discriminatory content; deepfakes through the creation of realistic but fabricated images and videos; doxing through the collection and exposure of personal information online; and the orchestration of mass harassment or false reporting campaigns. The workshop will also address how catfishing, sextortion, and identity theft can have serious consequences for young people and can be facilitated by GenAI’s ability to create fake identities and generate manipulative content. Next, we will examine the adoption and use of conversational AI (CAI) chatbots by youth, detailing how they can serve both helpful and harmful purposes. We will also present findings on how youth mental health and loneliness intersect with AI adoption, use, and misuse. Most importantly, we will present practical strategies for youth-serving adults, highlighting the importance of media literacy, critical consumption of online content, and recognizing signs of AI-generated harm. We will also explain the role of platforms in detecting and labeling AI-generated content, verifying users, restricting harmful outputs, and educating young people. This workshop will provide attendees with actionable takeaways, classroom or clinic-based activities, and practical implementations to proactively address the emerging challenges of GenAI among youth. Finally, the training will provide updated, relevant resources for youth, parents, and educators to address GenAI and social chatbot harms while promoting prosocial interactions and experiences online.
Key issues discussed: adolescence; generative AI use and misuse; AI social chatbot use and misuse; mental health and well-being; benefits and risks; prevention and response strategies; role of schools, parents, health care professionals, and online platforms
Delivered in an urgent yet hopeful tone with the use of flash polling, videos, and case studies, this presentation will help youth-serving adults (or youth themselves):
Identify the key benefits and risks associated with generative AI and social chatbots in youth contexts
Recognize signs of AI-generated harm, including harassment, deepfakes, and manipulative content targeting young people
Comprehend the intersection between youth mental health, loneliness, and AI technology adoption patterns
Discuss evidence-based strategies for promoting media literacy and critical evaluation of AI-generated content
Obtain practical tools and activities for implementing GenAI education in classroom or clinical settings
Consider the role of platforms and policy in detecting, labeling, and restricting harmful AI-generated content
Learn how to differentiate between helpful and harmful uses of conversational AI chatbots for youth
Provide updated resources and interventions to support youth, parents, and educators in navigating GenAI challenges
(60 minutes)
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The post Youth, Generative AI, and Social Chatbots: What We’re Learning, and What Comes Next appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.