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OpenAI and Common Sense Media team up to teach teens about AI
OpenAI, a research organization dedicated to creating beneficial artificial intelligence (AI), has joined forces with Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that promotes safe and responsible use of technology for kids. The two groups announced their new partnership on Monday at a Common Sense event in San Francisco.
The aim of the partnership between OpenAI and Common Sense Media is to help teens understand how to use AI safely and ethically, as well as to provide them with access to AI tools that can enhance their learning and creativity. The partnership will also involve creating AI guidelines and education materials for parents and educators, who play a key role in guiding and supporting teens in their use of technology.
Is partnership important between OpenAI and Common Sense Media?
AI is becoming more prevalent and powerful in our society, and it has the potential to bring both benefits and challenges. AI can help us solve complex problems, discover new knowledge, and create amazing things. But it can also pose risks, such as violating human rights, spreading misinformation, and disrupting social harmony.
Therefore, it is crucial that teens, who are the future leaders and innovators of our world, learn how to use AI in a way that aligns with their values and goals, and that respects the rights and interests of others. It is also important that they develop critical thinking and digital literacy skills so that they can evaluate the reliability and credibility of the information and content they encounter online.
How will the partnership work?
One of the main aspects of the partnership between OpenAI and Common Sense Media is to curate and customize large language models (LLMs) that are suitable for teens and that adhere to Common Sense’s rating and standards. LLMs are AI systems that can generate natural language texts, such as stories, essays, or conversations, based on a given input or prompt. One example of an LLM is ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by OpenAI that was launched in late 2022.
The partnership of OpenAI and Common Sense Media will help ensure that the LLMs used by teens are family-friendly, meaning that they do not produce inappropriate, harmful, or misleading content. The partnership will also help teens learn how to use LLMs responsibly and creatively, such as for learning about science, biology, or other subjects that interest them.
Another aspect of the partnership is to develop AI guidelines and education materials that will help teens, parents, and educators understand the opportunities and challenges of AI, and how to use it safely and ethically. These materials will cover topics such as the benefits and limitations of AI, the potential impacts of AI on society and individuals, and the best practices and tips for using AI tools and platforms.
What are the goals of the partnership?
The partnership between OpenAI and Common Sense Media is driven by a shared vision of making AI accessible, beneficial, and empowering for teens and everyone else. The partnership aims to:
- Educate teens, parents, and educators about AI and its implications
- Foster a love of learning and curiosity among teens through AI
- Promote ethical and responsible use of AI among teens
- Support teens in developing critical thinking and digital literacy skills
- Encourage teens to use AI for positive and creative purposes
- Avoid any unintended or negative consequences of AI
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said at the event that he hopes the partnership will “benefit kids without access” to AI, and that part of OpenAI’s mission is to “make really helpful AI available for free.” He also said that he envisions a world in which “every teen or every adult is going to have a personalized AI.”
Common Sense Media CEO Jim Steyer said in a statement that the partnership is “a groundbreaking initiative that will help shape the future of AI and education.” He also said that the partnership is “a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of putting kids first in the development and deployment of AI.”
The partnership of OpenAI and Common Sense Media comes at a time when AI is becoming more influential and pervasive in our society, and when there are growing concerns about the potential misuse and abuse of AI, especially in the context of the upcoming elections and the threat of deepfakes. Deepfakes are AI-generated images or videos that can manipulate or impersonate people’s appearance or voice.
Altman acknowledged that AI-generated images pose problems, but said “I think people are much more sophisticated than we give them credit for, and you don’t believe every image you see.” He also said that OpenAI is preparing for the potential ways bad actors could use AI and that he believes that “the good uses of AI will outweigh the bad uses.”
The partnership between OpenAI and Common Sense Media is an example of how AI can be used for good, and how different stakeholders can work together to ensure that AI is aligned with human values and interests. By educating and empowering teens about AI, the partnership hopes to inspire them to use AI in a way that benefits themselves and others, and that contributes to a better and brighter future.
