Ex-Google Chief Tom Siegel Calls For AI Development Slowdown, Warns AI Could Harm Children More Than Social Media

Tom Siegel, former Google trust and safety chief, is urging a slowdown in AI development due to the potential for severe harm to children. In his warning, Siegel cites the industry's failure to self-regulate, similar to the social media era, and argues for the need for external intervention to prevent serious harm to young users.

This comes as social media companies face lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny over harm to minors, despite AI development proceeding largely unchecked. Siegel's new position as executive director of the Youth AI Safety Institute at Common Sense Media aims to study how children use AI and develop accountability standards for the industry.

He warns of risks such as suicide, psychosis, and cognitive offloading, which can lead to severe scenarios of harm to young users. Siegel proposes quick fixes like stronger age-verification systems and disabling AI features for minors, acknowledging that while these steps may reduce short-term usage, companies that fail to act risk facing costly lawsuits and regulation later.