#chatbots

The chatbots are helpful for simple tasks, but they can make costly mistakes

Depending on AI can also potentially decrease the ability to discern misinformation, research says A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the latest research to find that relying too much on chatbots can diminish critical-thinking skills, and potentially decrease our ability to discern misinformation for ourselves. As AI tools are becoming more sophisticated and accessible, manipulated images and misleading headlines are becoming more common. AI can be part of the solution, and has proved useful in helping users identify fake content – but there’s a cost to using it this way, the new research suggests. An over-dependence on AI to help figure out what’s real on the internet can lead to trouble making those judgments. Continue reading...

According to the latest Pew Research poll, 49 percent of Americans report using chatbots at least occasionally, but 63 percent think the tech is advancing too quickly. Overall, use of AI chatbots has increased dramatically since 2024, when only 33 percent reported using them. Specifically, ChatGPT's usage has doubled since 2023, with 44 percent of respondents saying they've used it. But opinions remain negative, with only 16 percent saying that AI will have a positive impact on society. Interestingly, it's the younger generations who both report using AI more and who are inclined to have a more pessimistic view. 66 percent of Americans betw … Read the full story at The Verge.

There are concerns about artificial intelligence’s risks to kids’ learning and critical thinking, and tech companies are pushing to get chatbots into schools.