Elon Musk's new Grok AI for kids has parents worried.
The Tesla CEO has been making headlines lately with his development of Grok AI and some controversial features that have raised questions about his judgment.
Musk has been vocal about his concerns over declining birth rates, famously writing on X in 2022: "Population collapse due to low birth rates is a much bigger risk to civilization than global warming... mark these words." Fathering 14 children from four different women, Musk has been putting his money where his mouth is. But recently, he's been taking a different approach to addressing the birth rate crisis - by using AI companions.
Musk recently launched AI 'companions' on the Grok app, including an anime-inspired woman called "Ani," a red panda called "Rudi," and a male character 'inspired by Edward Cullen from Twilight and Christian Grey from 50 Shades of Grey.'
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While this sounds futuristic enough, the world's richest man went one step further and hinted that these companions could eventually become physically real through Tesla's Optimus.
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The problem is, this follows some seemingly unhinged behaviour from Grok which has previously praised Hitler and ranted about white genocide.
Now, many parents are concerned as Musk is opening his Grok app to all audiences, including children.
"We're going to make Baby Grok xAI, an app dedicated to kid-friendly content," the SpaceX founder announced on X.
On the surface, an educational AI for kids might sound innocent enough or even beneficial. However, given the recent news about AI's impact on children and Grok's unpredictable behaviour, people are very doubtful about whether this is a good idea.
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The AI industry is already being scrutinised for its lack of safety measures to protect young audiences. For example, Character AI, a company that creates AI companions, is currently facing lawsuits over a tragic case involving a child.
Psychologists have also raised concerns about how AI interactions might affect developing minds and social skills.
The fact that Musk's company has put its focus on sexualised AI companions makes parents wonder what safeguards will be in place for the children's version - and whether those safeguards will actually work.
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Social media users have had strong reactions to Musk's announcement, and most of them aren't positive.
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"We’re going to make Baby Grok xAI, an app dedicated to kid-friendly content," he wrote on X.
"I don't think this will end well for anyone involved," one Reddit user replied.
"Sounds like a horrible idea that can only go disastrously wrong," another commented on X.
"There's absolutely no reason at all for kids to use AI. It will definitely affect how their brains grow and function," argued another.
Meanwhile, others see the potential benefits of children using AI for educational purposes when used properly.
"Awesome idea. Would be great for educational purposes," another mentioned on X.