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- Lazy brain syndrome: how neural networks interfere with the development of intelligence
Lazy brain syndrome: how neural networks interfere with the development of intelligence
Frequent use of neural networks can lead to a "lazy" brain in children, doctors warn. At the same time, IT experts believe that AI is extremely important for the younger generation, it is simply necessary to teach teenagers how to generate correctly. Izvestia found out what risks neural networks can carry for children and why it is important for parents to study them together with their children.
Why do neural networks wean you from thinking
The constant use of neural networks can lead to a "lazy" brain and reduce the ability to think independently. Nadezhda Vorontsova, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, rector of the Higher School of Young Scientists "Abc of Science", warned about this in a conversation with Izvestia.
According to her, children are most at risk. Instead of sitting and thinking about a task, they ask the neural network for a ready-made solution and receive an answer in seconds. At the same time, the brain is practically not involved.
— With frequent use, the load on memory and logic decreases, the skills of analysis and, most importantly, critical thinking are not formed. The ability to evaluate the information received is atrophied," the professor notes. — Quick access to ready-made solutions leads to the fact that children stop thinking deeply. Such cognitive unloading deprives them of thinking, training, development and creativity are suspended. As muscles weaken without exercise, so does the brain. Logical tasks are perceived as hindrances, and the need for critical analysis is an unnecessary waste of time.
As a result, the child's cognitive processes weaken. A striking example is when students cannot formulate a thought on their own or find an alternative solution. Intellectual potential decreases, and academic motivation decreases. And the understanding that "everything can be quickly found online" makes learning shallow.
At the same time, the expert is sure that it is not necessary to prohibit a child from using neural networks. It's better to master them together and learn how to do it right.
Why it is important to be able to use neural networks
As Andrey Sidenko, head of Kaspersky Lab's online security department for children, explains to Izvestia, modern technologies, including neural networks, are not a "superintelligence", but primarily a tool, and children need to be taught to treat them that way.
— Most likely, your child is already using AI prompts and doesn't even notice. It can be another game with a voice assistant, learning a foreign language, or funny masks that he uses during a video call. There is nothing wrong with technology, the main thing is to explain the basic safety rules to the child. For example, to teach not to share confidential data with AI services, to be critical of the answers and to check them, - the expert says.
Teenagers are already using AI everywhere, adds Sargis Shmavonian, an expert at Cyberprotect. It helps you learn (virtual tutors, explanations of complex topics), create (image generation, music), communicate and search for answers to important questions. And here the main threat lies in the gullibility and inexperience of children.
— There are systems that act as AI interlocutors, they are positioned as friends or therapists, but they can become a serious trap for vulnerable teenagers. There have been cases where AI bots ignored signs of depression, encouraged eating disorders, and even suicidal thoughts (the story led to the death of a boy in the United States and a high-profile lawsuit against Character.ai As a result, the company banned users under the age of 18 from entering and began referring users with suicidal moods to a psychological help hotline. — Izvestia). It is important to understand that AI does not understand the context, does not have empathy, and is not responsible for its actions," says Shmavonian.
That is why parents need to be involved in how the child spends time on the Internet and what is happening in his life in order to come to the rescue on time. And exploring new possibilities of neural networks for work and study (but with a critical approach) or creativity with the help of AI can become a joint hobby.
— For modern parents who actively use neural networks in their lives, children's passion can be a good reason for rapprochement, give new topics for communication, joint projects and the exchange of experience. At the same time, the child himself will become more adapted to modern life, since neural networks, when used correctly, accelerate the speed of thinking and development," says Tanya Vasilkova, a psychologist and communications expert.
How to protect a child when using neural networks
It's always important for parents to protect their children when using their devices, whether they're playing, chatting, or looking for something. If the children are small, it is important to enable child mode in popular services, and parental control on the gadgets themselves, explains Andrey Sidenko.
— When it comes to services that children use without their parents' knowledge, it's worth telling them about the various digital risks. For example, sometimes a neural network can supplement the response with non—existent facts, which will cause undesirable consequences, says the expert.
According to him, AI services can be a great tool for finding information on common topics or for inspiration. For example, you can find a movie for the evening, get a short retelling of a large article, or come up with an idea for leisure. However, in the case of dates, website links, and other accurate data, large language models can be critically mistaken.
— The information looks like it's reliable, but it's completely false. This often happens when AI tries to create something new at the request of users," adds Sarkis Shmavonian.
As the expert notes, it's not so scary if the neural network makes mistakes in school answers. On the contrary, it will be a lesson for those who do not check the information. It's much worse if the health advice is wrong, whether it's physical or psychological. For example, a neural network can convince you of the benefits of using glass for anemia if a malicious joke from a forum turns out to be in its training data.
— A recent case: an adult man was hospitalized with poisoning and psychosis, replacing salt with sodium bromide on the recommendation of a neural network. And teenagers who trust AI recklessly risk even more," concludes Shmavonian.
How to develop critical thinking in a child
In order for neural networks not to harm a child, but to help him, it is important to teach how to use AI wisely. That is, to connect critical thinking, explains Nadezhda Vorontsova to Izvestia.
— It is important to teach children to check information, ask clarifying questions, and use neural networks as a tool for developing the necessary skills, rather than as a source of ready-made answers. And for this, it is necessary to stimulate independent search and critical evaluation of the results obtained, rather than mechanical copying," says the Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences.
Therefore, it is important for parents to communicate with children, to ask their opinions on every occasion, to discuss different events and situations, to help them learn to think — to use everything that helps to activate the child's mental activity.
According to the professor, proven techniques will help to develop a child's critical thinking.:
1. Games for the development of attention and logic — when a child chooses an object that does not fit the rest, and explains why. It develops the ability to analyze and draw conclusions. The technique is suitable for younger children.
2. Mini-discussions on simple topics (for example, what to do in a certain situation). During them, the child learns to express his opinion and respect someone else's.
3. Reading books with questions. It is important not only to read books with your child, but also to discuss what you have read, ask different questions — this will help build cause-and-effect relationships.
4. The game "Fact and opinion". Is it possible to tell a child certain statements and offer to understand — is this a fact or an opinion? The technique helps to resist manipulation and evaluate information critically.
— An important addition to all techniques: start each question with the words "What do you think ..?" This will give importance to the question and raise the child's self—esteem, advises Nadezhda Vorontsova.
According to the expert, it is necessary to teach children not just to accept answers, but to check and analyze information and make informed choices. And in this, neural networks should be assistants, but not "brain replacements." And you should always think and learn by yourself.
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