Google is planning to release its Gemini AI chatbot to children under 13 starting next week, according to a new report from The New York Times.
Gemini will soon become available to pre-teens with parent-managed Google accounts set up through the company’s Family Link service, per the report. Google apparently emailed parents of eligible users to inform them of the upcoming rollout.
“Gemini Apps will soon be available for your child,” Google said in an email this week to the parent of one 8-year-old. “That means your child will be able to use Gemini to ask questions, get
homework help and make up stories.”
Gemini is a Google-made generative AI chatbot capable of answering questions, carrying out conversations, and even generating images/videos.
Google and other tech giants (alongside their respective chatbots) are vigorously vying for market share in the AI space, and the under-13 demographic represents a massive chunk of users. Meanwhile, AI groups and children’s advocacy organizations have cautioned against the risks of these budding technologies that are neither human nor perfect — prone to “hallucinations” and spreading misinformation.
Karl Ryan, a spokesperson for Google, assured that Gemini has safeguards in place to ensure the chatbot does not produce unsafe content for younger users. He added that when a child with a Family Link account interacts with Gemini, Google will not use that data to train its AI.
Even so, Google’s email to parents acknowledged some risks to underage users. The company admitted that “Gemini can make mistakes” and suggested that parents should “help your child think critically” about the chatbot. Despite Google’s efforts to filter inappropriate material, the email noted that children “may encounter content you don’t want them to see.”
In addition, the email encouraged parents to teach their children how to fact-check Gemini’s answers. It also suggested parents remind their kids that “Gemini isn’t human” and that they shouldn’t give the chatbot sensitive or personal information.
Google has been making significant strides with its Gemini chatbot as of late, adding new AI video features and improving user interaction. The company is reportedly also nearing a deal with Apple to integrate Gemini into iPhones.
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