Artificial intelligence impacts in education and pediatric mental health

Increased accessibility of artificial intelligence to children has raised concerns regarding its effects on education and student mental health. Pediatricians should continue to be informed about the effects of artificial intelligence in their patients' daily lives, as artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly present.

The use of artificial intelligence to create personalized study material illustrates a benefit of incorporating this technology into education. However, an overreliance on artificial intelligence could decrease students' problem-solving skills and increase plagiarism. Novel uses of artificial intelligence have also raised concerns regarding mental health. Deepfake technology, which utilizes artificial intelligence to create images, videos, and/or audio that appears real but is fabricated, can be viewed online by children, which could have negative mental health implications.

Although artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize education at all levels, its use as an enhancement, not replacement, to current educational strategies is imperative. Both parents and students need to understand the limitations of artificial intelligence in education, and simultaneously prioritize developing the necessary cognitive skills strengthened throughout education. Pediatricians and parents should also be aware of the potentially dangerous material generated by artificial intelligence that can negatively impact children's mental health.