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The notable concerns with Snapchat’s new “My AI” feature
The social media giant recently added a new chat bot to all user accounts and are requiring users to subscribe to their premium service to get rid of it
There’s always been a joke about AI one day taking over the world. But now it seems like this might not be a funny joke for long.
May 24, 2023
On an ordinary Wednesday, the social media platform Snapchat launched its ChatGPT-powered AI chatbot “My AI” to its global user base. Snapchat users all received a message from “My AI” that described itself as an “experimental chatbot.” After testing the Chat bot, the first striking element was it formulating responses in less than five seconds, making sure to never leave you waiting.
“My AI” promises to use artificial intelligence to make the app more personalized for individual users. But while the idea of AI-driven personalization may sound appealing, there are several reasons why this new feature immediately signaled a cause for concern.
The first thing that comes to mind are the serious privacy implications associated with “My AI”. For the feature to work effectively, it will need to collect and analyze an extensive amount of data on each user’s behavior, preferences and interactions within the app. This raises questions about how that data will be stored, who will have access to it and how it will be used in the future.
There’s always been a joke about AI one day taking over the world. But now it seems like this might not be a funny joke for long. There are frightening concerns about what the intent of these new AI features are, and how quickly they can affect a whole population.
The use of AI to drive personalization can also create “echo chambers” in which users are only exposed to content and ideas that reinforce their existing beliefs and biases. This can be damaging to people who use it and can make it harder for individuals to consider alternative viewpoints.
There is also a risk that “My AI” could add to the already troubling issue of addiction to social media. By using AI to create a more individualized experience on the app, Snapchat could make the app even more engaging and addictive, leading to negative impacts on mental health and wellbeing.
Finally, there is a broader concern about the use of AI in general. As seen more recently, algorithms are becoming more and more powerful and more capable of making decisions on behalf of humans. There is also a wonder if they will begin to replace human judgment altogether. This could have far-reaching implications for everything from employment to democracy.
While the concept of AI-driven personalization may sound appealing, there are significant reasons to be wary of Snapchat’s new “My AI” feature. From privacy concerns to the risk of addiction, there are many potential downsides to this new technology.