Oxford experts call for better research into impact of AI on young people
Experts warn about the harmful side to AI, as well as it's benefits
Last updated 3rd Feb 2025
Experts at the University of Oxford are calling for there to be more research looking into the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on young people's mental health.
It's as the Oxford University Internet Institute (OII) say they feel that many studies are currently unreliable, as they're outdated.
The group of scientists says there needs to be clear framework for research considering “the rapid adoption of AI by children”.
“Misinformation becomes deep fakes”
Dr Karen Mansfield, postdoctoral researcher at the OII, is the lead author of the paper.
She says that research on the effects of AI “must learn from the issues that have faced social media”.
Dr Mansfield says, “There are also some very beneficial things for young people getting online, such as getting in contact with other people, sharing opinions, socialising - and it's been shown to have some benefits.”
“There's also the bad side, which is online abuse, bullying, privacy concerns, and misinformation.
“When AI starts to interact with that, then misinformation becomes deep fakes, dark patterns, and online abuse becomes things like abusive bots - which could just amplify the negative effects.”
Talking to us about the paper she wrote, Dr Mansfield said: “We start by doing a review of other people's research and then we break down what we think are the challenges.
“The limitations in the research are that it tends to be inconsistent, the measures are not incredibly valid, and they're often outdated.”
She added: “We think this needs a really structured and very highly collaborative approach. So, there's been a lot of different streams of research, and it's just not joined up enough.”
Professor Andrew Przybylski, a contributing author and OII Professor of Human Behaviour and Technology, added:
"We are calling for a collaborative evidence-based framework that will hold big tech firms accountable in a proactive, incremental, and informative way. Without building on past lessons, in ten years we could be back to square one, viewing the place of AI in much the same way we feel helpless about social media and smartphones. We have to take active steps now so that AI can be safe and beneficial for children and adolescents."
The researchers conclude that as AI continues to evolve and become more embedded in the lives of young people, it is vital to develop a robust framework for studying its effects.
It's hoped this approach will enable regulators to create evidence-based policies that ensure AI technologies are integrated into online platforms in ways that are safe and beneficial for the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.
AI and Child Abuse
The Government is launching a crackdown on AI-generated images of child sexual abuse.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced the UK will be the first country in the world to make it illegal to own artificial intelligence tools designed to make images of child sexual abuse.
The new offence will be punishable by up to five years in prison.
Those who have been found to own AI “paedophile manuals” could be jailed for up to three years, under measures the Government will bring forward in the Crime and Policing Bill.
“Nudeifying” real-life images of children, or stitching their faces on to existing images of abuse, are among the ways AI is being used by abusers, the Government department said.
Fake images are also being used to blackmail children and force them to livestream further abuse.