The role of artificial intelligence is expanding to many aspects of everyday life. Some wonder how children can safely navigate the internet and other emerging AI technologies.
A new app called Genie.gg seeks to provide children a safe internet experience with an AI program as a sidekick or guardian.
The app was co-created by Darius Monsef, a long-time tech entrepreneur who grew up on Hawai'i Island.
Children chat with the AI sidekick on the app, and Monsef said the program answers complicated questions in an age-appropriate manner.
"So if you asked a sensitive subject question, Genie would answer it appropriately for a kid's age, and often just default to, 'Hey, that's kind of a sensitive thing and you should probably talk to a trusted adult, like your parent, about that,'" Monsef said. "So it's not trying to replace the role of a parent."
"It's not trying to replace the importance of human interaction," he added. "It's meant to be like, if we imagine kids do get screen time, what could a healthy alternative be to that screen time that isn't just purely passive. It's creative, it's engaged, and underneath the hood is a bit of learning and experiencing."
This interview aired on The Conversation on Aug. 26, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
