Tom Siegel, founder of Google's Trust and Safety team, has called for a slowdown in AI development. He warns that the technology industry risks repeating the mistakes of the social media era, potentially causing greater harm to children. Siegel highlights risks ranging from mental health issues to cognitive offloading, where reliance on AI diminishes critical thinking skills.
Siegel recently joined the non-profit organization Common Sense Media as the first executive director of its AI Safety Institute for Teens, established in May. This institute is supported by Anthropic and the OpenAI Foundation. Siegel intends to develop standards to hold AI companies accountable for safety measures, noting that current protections for young users are insufficient.
The expert suggests that companies like Anthropic and OpenAI should implement stricter age verification. He also proposes that Google could offer an option to disable AI search features, similar to existing content filters. Siegel argues that while these safety measures might impact short-term profits, inaction exposes companies to significant legal and regulatory risks.
Google responded by stating that parents can use existing controls to restrict children's access to search features, emphasizing the educational value of their AI tools. An OpenAI spokesperson noted that the company uses account and behavioral signals to identify minors, alongside self-reported age, and continues to refine these systems to prevent unauthorized access.
