What is Artificial intelligence really doing to students?

DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - As students across the Northland head back to school, artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly common part of their everyday lives. Experts say there are concerns about dependency, privacy, misinformation and mental health as students spend more time interacting with AI.

University of Minnesota Duluth Computer Science Professor Dr. Ted Peterson discussed the potential risks of AI use among students.

AI psychosis

Peterson explained the informal term “AI psychosis,” which he said refers to excessive AI use causing a disconnection from reality, including beliefs, delusions or paranoia fed by the AI.

“This is an informal term that is used to mean when excessive use of AI causes a kind of disconnection from reality, and maybe beliefs and delusions or paranoia that is being fed by the use of the AI, usually chat bots,” Peterson said.

Peterson said if a user tells a chatbot that their friends are out to get them, the chatbot may agree with them and increase that worry or paranoia.

Dependency on AI

Peterson said there is a risk of children becoming overly dependent on AI, regardless of age group.

“I think there’s a real risk of that, actually, for any age group, and I think the key warning sign is if the use of AI in a chatbot is coming to replace personal relationships with human beings,” Peterson said.