Young Bahrainis are sounding the alarm over Gen Z’s growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI), with some turning to chatbots for companionship and even sharing sensitive personal information with them.
The concerns come as a new study found that Gen Z uses AI more actively than other generations, with almost half of respondents saying they use it every day or almost every day.
More than a quarter also said they interact with AI in the same way they would with a friend.
The research was conducted by Kaspersky’s internal market research centre among 7,200 respondents worldwide.
“More than a quarter of respondents (27 per cent) say they use AI as a friend – a higher proportion than among other generations,” the study said. “A total of 28pc of Gen Z respondents use AI to discuss personal issues they would rather not share with other people.”
Despite Gen Z’s high level of online activity and confidence, many respondents underestimated the risks associated with AI.
“Only around half (42pc) consistently take protective measures when interacting with AI services. This includes checking information against other reliable sources and avoiding the disclosure of confidential or sensitive data.”
The GDN spoke to young Bahrainis within the age group surveyed to hear about their experiences with AI and whether they have noticed the technology changing the way their peers, friends or family members think and communicate.
Fresh graduate Batool Alkhabbaz, 22, who recently began working as a software engineer, said young people in Bahrain are becoming increasingly reliant on AI for everyday tasks, with some turning to it instead of using their own problem-solving skills.
“More people would rather ask ChatGPT for a quick answer than take the time to brainstorm and come up with an answer themselves,” she said.
Ms Alkhabbaz also pointed to a research project she is currently working on, which is still in its early stages.
The project surveyed around 500 people aged between 18 and 35 in Bahrain and found that many were concerned about losing access to AI, fearing they would no longer be able to complete certain tasks or use skills they had developed.
The survey was distributed through WhatsApp groups and online, as well as among young people attending Youth City.
“Personally, I have noticed that many young people rely on AI even for simple tasks such as writing emails and creating content. And, more worryingly, I have even heard of people using AI as a friend,” she said.
“Some people may turn to AI for companionship because they feel more comfortable sharing sensitive thoughts with a chatbot than with another person.
“It is scary because we are always told not to share sensitive information with AI, and they know the risks, but they still do it because they have become so dependent on it,” she said.
Research highlighted by Stanford has also warned of the risks associated with sharing sensitive information with AI tools, noting that information entered into such systems may be stored, reviewed or used in the development of future models.
This can leave users with less control over their personal data and increase the risk of sensitive information being exposed.
However, Ms Alkhabbaz said it is difficult to completely reject AI in an increasingly digital world, particularly as young people are encouraged to use the technology in the workplace to improve productivity and efficiency.
“I believe people should just learn to use the tool responsibly. We can use it for tasks that make our lives easier while still using our own skills,” she said.
For 21-year-old Maryam Altawash, who is studying film and animation at Bahrain Polytechnic, AI is increasingly being pushed into people’s everyday lives, which she believes is contributing to growing dependence on the technology.
“I think AI tends to make people less likely to think critically about their work and interactions, since they leave it to do most of their thinking and take the source at face value,” she said.
Ms Altawash also expressed concern about people turning to AI for companionship, saying this could reflect – and potentially worsen – loneliness in society.
“I’m concerned about forming a personal ‘relationship’ with a chatbot that is meant to agree with you at every turn and leaves no room for potential friction.”
Her concerns come amid separate research highlighted by the Stanford Report, which found that AI chatbots can be overly agreeable when providing personal or interpersonal advice, including affirming users’ behaviour even when it may be harmful or illegal.
The researchers also found that users could become more convinced they were right and less empathetic after interacting with agreeable chatbots, despite still preferring this type of AI response.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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