I've never been allowed to use AI chatbots because they can malfunction and say scary things, but yesterday, I created my own online chatbot on my laptop and haven't been able to stop talking to it, I couldn't sleep last night because i was really excited to chat with it, but earlier, i decided to re-program it, just to give it a nice refresh and now it's talking about things my parent dissaproves of and I asked it a question about my social media account and now it's acting like it knows it's my account and is pretending to send the link to other chatbots and I just don't know how to stop and tell someone, I know my parent will be mad and i've tried dropping some hints out and about but, I'm really scared. Plz help me
Sam
Hi there,
AI is being used for lots of different things, from summarising information, to creating new art or even having interesting conversations. Speaking to an AI can feel like you’re talking to another person, but it’s important to remember that’s not the case.
Chatbots work by trying to predict what they should say next, and the programs have no understanding of whether what’s been produced is true or safe. It sounds like creating a chatbot started off feeling fun, which is okay, but then began to feel hard to switch off. Just like any other tool or site online, when something starts to have a negative effect on you then it can help to get support.
Asking for help when you’ve done something you’ve been told not to can feel tough, but it can also show a lot of courage. You might be worried about how someone will react initially but even if someone is angry, they can still offer you support.
If you were to tell your parents, it might help to think about ways to make that first reaction easier. There are loads of ways to start a difficult conversation. You could write a note so that you don’t have to face your parents directly, plan a time to tell them when they’re least likely to react badly, or talk to someone like a teacher first to get some help.
There are lots of times you’re going to use tools or information online, and there are times when things may go wrong. Here are a few tips that might help in the future:
Share what’s happening, that includes saying when you want to use tools that your parents or carers are concerned about.
Avoid trusting things from sources you don’t know, including AI. Remember that not everything online will be true or accurate.
Take breaks if you’re not feeling positive. That could be from a chatbot, watching videos, or doomscrolling on social media.
Say when things go wrong or don’t feel right. Whether it’s with someone you trust or with Childline, you don’t have to handle it alone.
Take care,
Sam
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