"AI companies know that children are the future - of their business model. The industry doesn't hide their attempts to hook the youth on their products through well-timed promotional offers, discounts, and referral programs. "Here to help you through finals," OpenAI said during a giveaway of ChatGPT Plus to college students. Students get free yearlong access to Google's and Perplexity's pricey AI products. Perplexity even pays referrers $20 for each US student that it gets to download its AI browser Comet."
"Popularity of AI tools among teens is astronomical. Once the product makes its way through the education system, it's the teachers and students who are stuck with the repercussions; teachers struggle to keep up with new ways their students are gaming the system, and their students are at risk of not learning how to learn at all, educators warn. This has gotten even more automated with the newest AI technology, AI agents, which can complete online tasks for you."
AI companies target young people with promotions, discounts, and referral programs to build long-term users. Students receive free or subsidized access to powerful AI products through giveaways and referral incentives. Teen adoption of AI tools is extremely high, and once tools enter classrooms they create practical and pedagogical problems. Teachers face new and evolving methods of student misuse and struggle to maintain assessment integrity. New AI agents can automate online tasks, making cheating easier and further reducing opportunities for students to develop independent learning skills. Tech firms often shift responsibility for these outcomes.
Read at The Verge
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