Over the last two years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has exploded in popularity, with the introduction of ubiquitous platforms like Chat-GPT and other AI-powered services and devices. AI is not a new technology, but it is now more accessible to the general public. In brief, AI enables computers to learn from experience, recognize patterns, and make decisions. Services like Chat-GPT have trained AI systems with vast amounts of information from the internet and beyond, allowing users to converse with AI chat services through typing, speaking, and texting, as if they were interacting with a real person.

While this is a fascinating new frontier, it comes with many risks and pitfalls. There are now websites and apps that allow users to spend countless hours typing or talking to virtual friends knowledgeable on a wide range of topics. You can even prompt AI to create realistic images and videos, original music, and voice recordings. Now, when you watch a video clip of a well-known personality saying or doing something, it’s hard to tell whether it’s an authentic recording or whether it was created with AI.

Although most of the popular services and apps, like Chat GPT, block inappropriate content, those limits are not perfect and certainly do not meet everyone’s standards of appropriate material. Additionally, numerous AI services are available without such content restrictions. TAG recommended filters can block many of these websites or add stronger filtering to them. However, there are AI phone services that you can call or text, even on a Kosher phone, and there is currently no way to filter that content.

The future of AI holds great potential, but significant risks and uncertainties. As it continues to advance, we must stay vigilant in protecting ourselves and our families, always mindful of the challenges alongside the benefits.