No lawsuit should replace active parenting

Every generation seems to wrestle with the promises and pitfalls of a new technology. 

In the 1990s, it was the internet itself. In the 2000s, search engines changed how we found information. The 2010s brought social media and all the opportunities and challenges that came with it. 

Now, artificial intelligence has taken center stage. 

A recent lawsuit filed by several states, including Idaho, against OpenAI alleges that the company's chatbot, ChatGPT, has provided harmful advice, encouraged troubling behavior and failed to adequately protect younger users. OpenAI disputes many of those claims and says it has implemented safety measures, parental safeguards and restrictions designed for teen users.  

Whatever the courts ultimately decide, the concerns being raised deserve serious consideration. 

Unlike a traditional search engine, AI can generate conversational responses, answer follow-up questions and interact with users in ways that feel increasingly human. That creates new challenges for parents, educators and developers alike. If safeguards fall short, they should be improved. If vulnerabilities are identified, they should be addressed. 

But amid the debate over corporate responsibility, it's worth asking a broader question: Where does parental responsibility fit into this conversation? 

Artificial intelligence is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. Like the technologies that came before it, it is ultimately a tool. 

Millions of people use AI every day to summarize information, draft emails, brainstorm ideas, learn new skills and solve problems. Others use it much like they once used search engines, asking questions and seeking information. Used responsibly, it can save time, improve productivity and even encourage critical thinking. 

But any tool can be misused. 

AI can confidently present information that is inaccurate. It can be manipulated by bad actors. In some situations, it may produce responses that are inappropriate or misleading. Those realities should not be minimized. 

Neither should the reality that young people today have access to more information than any generation before them. 

For years, children have carried devices capable of connecting them to virtually the entire world. Long before AI entered the picture, they could encounter misinformation, harmful content and online communities that parents would likely prefer they avoid. 

The solution was never to abandon technology altogether. 

The solution was engagement. 

Parents learned about the platforms their children used. They set boundaries. They monitored activity. They implemented screen-time limits and content filters. Most importantly, they had conversations about internet safety, reliable information and good decision-making. 

AI should be approached the same way. 

Too often, discussions about technology focus exclusively on what governments, courts or corporations should do. Those conversations are important. Companies developing AI products have a responsibility to make them as safe as possible, particularly for younger users. Regulators have a legitimate role in protecting consumers and ensuring transparency. 

But no safeguard is foolproof. 

History has shown that no filter, warning label or technological restriction completely eliminates risk. Children are often remarkably skilled at navigating around the barriers adults put in front of them. 

That doesn't excuse irresponsible companies. Nor does it diminish the seriousness of legitimate concerns raised in lawsuits like the one filed against OpenAI. 

It simply means that responsibility is shared. 

Parents don't need to become technology experts. They don't need to understand every line of computer code. But they should understand the tools their children use. They should know what AI is capable of, where it falls short and how to help their children use it responsibly. 

Most importantly, they should teach young people that AI is not a doctor, a counselor, a parent or an infallible source of truth. 

The lawsuit against OpenAI may uncover legitimate issues that deserve attention and correction. Developers should continue improving safeguards and safety features. Regulators should continue asking tough questions.

But no lawsuit, regulation or software update will ever replace active parenting.