Most young people are ‘worried about AI making explicit pictures of them’

12% of people aged 13 to 17 quizzed said they have already seen people their age using AI to create sexual snaps and videos of other people

Most young people are worried about Artificial Intelligence making explicit pictures of them, research found. Three in five teenagers admitted they fear the tech is being used to create vile images.

And 12% of people aged 13 to 17 quizzed said they have already seen people their age using AI to create sexual snaps and videos of other people. More teens also report they are using the tech, according to the survey by the UK Safer Internet Centre and Nominet to mark Safer Internet Day on Tuesday (February 10.

National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede said: “Young people are already using AI at an unprecedented rate, including for their homework and studying.

“Yet the evidence is clear that the risks of AI use in education, particularly for young people’s learning and development, overshadow the benefits. Equally concerning is the number of young people who are relying on AI for emotional support, and those worried about AI being used to create inappropriate images of them.”

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “This research shows that young people are embracing AI in remarkable ways; using it to learn and save time. This is exactly how we want technology to support people of all ages. But its true benefits won’t be realised until AI is both safe and accessible to everyone.

“We are investing in safe AI tutors for disadvantaged children and upskilling millions of people across the country, while launching a national conversation on how we build a safer, fairer and more empowering digital future for every child.

“We are also clear that no-one should be victim to AI being weaponised to create abhorrent explicit content without their consent.”

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