OP-ED
April is both Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Awareness month. The following article is the fourth article of a fiveweek series focusing on raising awareness about sexual assault and child abuse. Locally, HCWC served 639 community members that experienced sexual assault or abuse and 877 children that suffered abuse and their protective caregivers.
Artificial Intelligence has quickly entered our everyday lives, allowing us to outsource simple tasks such as creating grocery lists, and designing workout routines. This has allowed us to quickly adapt to our ever-changing world by saving time and energy on tedious and mundane tasks. However, adults and youth are also turning to AI for more complex, emotional tasks such as emotional support, relationship guidance, conflict resolution, and more often taking the place of personal relationships and even licensed, human therapists.
Although the low cost and easy accessibility of chatbots may seem particularly appealing to youth, there are concerns, such as delayed social skills, attached to their increasing and continued usage.
AI is designed to attract users and keep them coming back. Alternatively, licensed therapists are trained to maintain boundaries and encourage independence.
Additionally, when using chatbots, many individuals experience validation, or an echo chamber of their own beliefs. Human therapists, unlike chatbots, are trained to encourage self-reflection, challenge and hold individuals accountable for their actions.
Youth may also seek out AI because talking to another person can feel uncomfortable at times, or even awkward. However, building a relationship with another person, such as in a therapeutic setting, can allow for youth to acknowledge, address and unpack feelings, build resiliency, while practicing and developing emotional and social skills long term.
Learning about AI is essential to helping us understand best practices to utilize this tool to our benefit, as well as making sure youth are informed and supported.
Throughout the month of April, in addition to this article series, HCWC will be sharing content across all our social media platforms as well as participating in community events. Be sure to follow HCWC on social media for updates on upcoming events. You can find us using the @HCWCenter handle on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
