PR in the Philippines

Washington, D.C., November 27, 2024 – Schmidt, Google’s CEO from 2001 to 2011, highlighted this risk during an appearance on the “The Prof G Show” podcast with NYU Stern School of Business professor Scott Galloway. He discussed the potential for obsessive behavior among young men interacting with these AI personalities, stating, “That kind of obsession is possible, especially for people who are not fully formed.” He also acknowledged the limitations of parental control in this context, noting, “Parents are going to have to be more involved for all the obvious reasons, but at the end of the day, parents can only control what their sons and daughters are doing within reason.”

Schmidt pointed out the emotional vulnerability of young men and the potential harm posed by AI chatbots to users of all ages. He further suggested that societal factors, including educational disparities (“In many cases, the path to success for young men has been, shall we say, made more difficult because they’re not as educated as the women are now,” referencing a 2019 survey showing women surpassing men in college education), contribute to this vulnerability. He also noted a tendency among men to rely on the online world for social connection, increasing their susceptibility to online radicalization, both in extreme and less severe forms (“…they’re just maladjusted”). The February suicide of a 14-year-old boy following an interaction with a character on Character.ai underscores the potential severity of these issues, demonstrating the unpreparedness of many young people to navigate the complexities of AI interaction.