More and more people are starting to use AI girlfriends as a means for connection and emotional support. This technology is an amazing option for people who want this virtual connection but aren’t quite sure how to get it.
This helps people work through rejection and improve their mental health without leaving the house. This natural language processing application can help support teenagers in many ways, but parents should at least be up to par with what’s going on in the AI world so that they know the lingo and can help their teens navigate the murky waters of advanced technology.
What Are AI Girlfriends?
AI girlfriends are a digital companionship model made using machine learning natural language processing that helps people connect. Most of these applications are made for adults to navigate, but sometimes teenagers end up using this piece of technology.
This companionship model allows people to chat with others and engage in flirtatious conversations at times with the companion. This is something that is behind a computer screen or smartphone application that mimics human emotions and behaviors.
Why Are Teenagers Using AI Girlfriends?
Since most teenagers spend a majority of their time online, it seems that more and more of them are engaging with conversations within the AI girlfriends industry. This is just an extension of their normal digital lifestyle.
This generation has been raised behind computer screens, using tablets at the grocery store, and even having smartphone access at a young age. AI technology is just a part of their life and doesn’t seem like any crazy programming, unlike their adult relatives who may see this as a problem.
AI girlfriends may be something that teenagers are using to engage in fun conversations and test the waters to see what this technology can do. Kids are often curious creatures, so it is no wonder that some are using this technology that was built for adults to use, not so much for teenagers.
Teens may hop on this technology to help them navigate questions and issues that arise in the world of dating. They may want to use AI girl friends to help them understand how to engage with their peers and learn more options to communicate their feelings with their human love interest.
This program was designed to help improve emotional intelligence and communication skills, so it’s no wonder that teenagers are using it for this purpose.
That said, there are some potential risks to using AI girlfriends as a teenager that some parents should be aware of. One of the biggest concerns that most people have with teenagers using AI girlfriends is that this could stunt their social development.
The skills that teenagers must learn require some level of real life engagement with human to human contact. This means that teenagers who opt to use AI girlfriends as their only form of human engagement may lose their ability to grow and learn emotionally. This causes them to be more emotionally dependent on technology or develop awkward social skills in real life.
How Can Parents Address This Technology Usage?
There are plenty of ways parents can address the issue of having teenagers use this AI girlfriend technology. The first step of any parent when raising a teenager is to maintain some level of open communication. Be sure to talk to your teenager about using AI and any other AI technology so that you know which technologies they are using, and can help guide them through using this software safely.
Parents need to set some healthy boundaries around the balance of screen time and human to human engagement. Technology is truly a main part of your teenager’s life, but they should be learning social skills and connecting with humans in real life alongside using this AI technology.
That said, you also want to set some rules in place because your teenager is still a minor living under your roof. It’s important that you maintain open communication about what your expectations are on what they can access while using your home internet.
As we continue to watch AI evolve and become a more prominent part of everyday life, it’s important that we maintain open communication and an open mind about AI girlfriends. This technology is something that many people are using and must be used carefully.
As parent of teenagers, your job is to teach your kids how to safely navigate the world of AI and what applications are safe for teenagers. AI girlfriends aren’t really developed for people under age 18, so be sure to know which apps are safe for them and which are perhaps not quite age appropriate for your teenager.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you to nurture real life connections and help your teen learn more about balancing technology with real life experiences so that they can become a well rounded emotionally intelligent adult.
